election. this is about 25 minutes. >> good morning everyone and thank you for joining us. i'm the chair of the iowa democratic party and i'm joined by scott brennan who is our member on the bylaws committee. we are going to make three statements and then open up for questions. this morning the iowa democratic

party submitted a letter of intent to the rules and bylaws committee to begin the application process in our fight to keep iowa first in the nation. a copy of the letter will be e-mailed to all of the journalists on the call as soon as possible ability is finished. let me be clear the layer of intent is just the first step in a robust application process. in addition to the application, we are also planning to engage with numerous stakeholders all over iowa to explore substantive changes to the caucuses that would make them more straightforward and accessible. it's important to us to continue to have all of the caucuses so that as many people as possible can participate in this proud tradition. iowa has a critical role to play in the nominating calendar for a small state we provided the perfect opportunity for democrats to rebuild the national brand within the rural communities. that's why it's critical iowa continues to have a voice in the

presidential nominating process so that candidates can meaningfully connect with the grassroots infrastructure that includes working families and a diversifying rural america. we have a lot of work to do ahead of us in the next few weeks, but i'm going to fight for iowa and look forward to making the case before the rules and bylaws committee. i will turn over now to scott brennan for his comments. go ahead and unmute. >> this letter intend is the first step in the application process. next month the iowa democratic party will also submit a formal application to the committee. we then expect to be given the chance to present leader in june. the iowa caucuses heavy long and proud tradition in the nomination process and point out the ways in which iowa has unique and necessary attributes

to the presidential nominating process. we make the point that the four current states were intentionally chosen back in 2007 to be taken together as representing the ethnic diversity as well as the ease of retail politics. but at the same time, we recognize the changes must be made to make the process more straightforward and accessible and we indicated in the letter we are willing to make significant procedural changes as well as expand ways to participate. >> thank you and for the work you've been doing to advocate for iowa. we will open up now for questions. please use your right hand function. i will call on you and then ask you to unmute. there's a lot of you year. we have a few screens so please

exercise patience as we go through this process and the first hand i see is who 13. can you go ahead, unmute and state your question. >> it's dave price. i'm going to throw a couple things. to tell me if these are accurate. i know you are not giving all the details out yet but iowa still wants to go first and so low so in other words not sharing it with another state, still making sure it's a caucus and not a primary and/or promising major changes to the format or whatever of how the caucuses work, is that accurate? >> yes, that's accurate. >> sorry i muted myself again. i should know how to do this by now. can you talk a little bit more about what are you willing to do

-- you still want the caucus format and preserve the feel of the caucus, but you already did a bunch of things in the last go around that helped open it up to new people and outside it largely worked. so what else is there that you can look at here? >> just off the top of my head, things we can do to simplify the process maybe there is no longer realignment. the 15% threshold could be a question that we need to discuss. there was a participation aspect and maybe that's something we can resurrect and strengthen that. all this has to be approved by the committee so these are the ideas frankly floating around in my head.

>> we when by strengthening the grassroots networks and engaging in important decisions like making changes to the caucuses, so it's a short window before we have to submit and we will give that input. it's still sort of an evolving process with the rules of the committee in terms of what they are looking for. go ahead and lower your hand. >> between now and the meeting in june are you going to start coming up with the ideas for changes on how to revamp the caucuses or what's going to take place between now and before the rules and bylaws committee make the case and how well you will u prepare between now and then? >> there's been examples that have been discussed now as well as in the past and that's a

portion of this and the rules and bylaws committee we will be here if there's more details in terms of are they going to do any waiting on the specific criteria and that type of thing. we have had numerous conversations behind the scenes. my team has been having regular conversations like with the greater des moines partnership in fact last week we spoke with the partnership board about thee efforts and we discussed ways that they can help us lobby during the upcoming trip to washington, d.c.. washington, d.c. >> so there could be criteria changing between now and june you think or do you expect any changes between now and then? >> what i would say as you are aware, the process as currently seen in the criteria they are looking for has just recently

been developed but even within that some of the criteria, there's some room for i don't want to say speculation but subjective is the word when looking for, subjectivity in terms of how they are going to evaluate the criteria, so i think that's what all of the states that are applying early and there are quite a few will be looking for. do you want to add to that? >> sure and the only thing i would add is there is a virtual meeting in the committee on may 18th i believe and my understanding is that at that meeting we will talk about some of the criteria that we are going to utilize going forward. so that might put a little more flush on the process. >> the next hand i see is katie can you go ahead and unmute and state your question. >> thanks for holding the call.

the a lot of republicans have already reaffirmed iowa will go first in the process in 2024. does that hold any weight as you make the case to keep things matched up? >> thanks. >> right now iowa law requires that we hold a caucus no later than the fourth month in february. we are also reminding folks that outside of iowa right now it's required that we have a caucus and in order to make changes, iowa has to change the law. >> otherwise i have been working and communicating with the republican party chair. it's always been a joint effort between the two parties, democrats and republicans. we don't always agree on much and we've seen things we definitely disagree on, but they

are maintaining the nominating calendar in the order and sequence and the republican presidential candidates are already visiting iowa and as far as the press and public are concerned, that means iowa is first. i see your hand can you go ahead and lower your hand and state your question? >> thanks very much. i just wanted to know if you feel like the criteria as it is drafted now works against iowa and is that one of the reasons why you will be making changes? i guess the question is are you trying to make changes to lineup with where that criteria is and it seems a little bit like a fluid situation and you are trying to return to their measurements. >> having only been in tradition after the caucuses, there's a look at what will make things more straightforward and accessible.

that's been part of the conversations in the past. we are going to continue to do that and we have to respond to the criteria that the rbc is putting forward. this involves delegates for the national convention as it is all together. but, so i would say it is a combination of trying to make them as straightforward and inclusive as possible as well as making the case to the dnc. >> what other questions do you have for us?

>> go ahead and state your question please. go ahead. >> diversity is one of the criteria they seem to emphasize. how will you show diversity in iowa's strength? >> first, i will point out they've lifted that diversity but they've not talked about what type of diversity. it's a pretty broad category. and i will start if the focus is racial diversity, i would say first of all, there wouldn't be president obama without iowa.

the infrastructure is right here in iowa. the democratic party needs to ct and not waist this opportunity. we are putting aside politics and leading with values which means putting in the hard work. and win the elections right in and win the elections right in november. if democrats can't talk to rural voters we have a problem. we can appeal to rural working-class americans. to maintain the white house we can't afford to ignore this

group of americans and iowans. if we win iowa we win across the county. lower your hand. >> thank you you started to answer my question. 's we have seen republicans say that i might not consider the rural voters. do you share that concern if iowa isn't among the early carve out states they end up being more dominated by bigger cities. that could be just another issue that makes it challenging for democrats to reach those kind of voters.

>> i disagree with my republican colleague that says the democrats nationally have given up. that's quiet the contrary. we are always looking at the president alcandor and make sure all voices are heard. scott and i would like to remind you we can't allow the presidential campaign. they pay for candidate for exposure and in part we need to focus on the midwest. like i said, inorder to reach those rural working-class folks. iowa have the best money we can buy. we open doors, knock on doors, volunteer, we didn't have the resources. that's part of the importance

for the american voter and the diverse communities we have across the state in urban and rural areas. you can lower your hand and state your question. >> ben, you are still muted. >> oh, sorry about that. so, wisconsin and illinois across the river. i know some of our folks are looking west for a long time and maybe see some similarities between wisconsin and iowa. perhaps growing in diversity and population. what defense tactics do you

have around surrounding states that see their chances increasing? >> it's our position and the four early states, currently as a whole, as well as individually bring important voice to the president alnominating process. we have our straights and represent an important region of the country. for exam pa, iowa is a small rural strait that president biden carried twice. we have enough small and medium markets and opportunity to broadcast the message to a wider audience. we connect with leaders across the state. you can lower their hand. >> i see a comment or question

let's see. we have skyler. you were wondering how we plan to approach any concerns that brought up in june maybe brought up in june about the iowa caucus. i assume you mean this june as i mentioned different stakeholders of groups and we spoke about the partnership and we continue to do that with current electives. we will all be incorporated for psychological and final application that we put together so, we have to describe the process and thread the needle with whatever requirements they will set forward. we have to be nimble enough to try and state what some of the possibilities are. we didn't want to get too far out ahead of the process.

cay said how do we make the case that the process aligns with party values when it comes to ballot access and voting rights. >> you know, again, look at that accessibility whether it's some form of absentee effort or away for people to participate that have historic challenges. we'll take a look at that and go back and there is nothing on the table. we have to be creative and also want to make sure we can be able to build pon things in the state. gomez, you can lower your hand

and state your question please. >> yeah, thank you mr. chairman. thank you for having the time. it's at the last meeting in dc and the criticism i know your response was it wouldn't have been president obama in the iowa caucuses. the criticism i heard during the committee meeting it seems like it points to the lack of diversity in iowa in that state. how do you encounter that weapon it's a population that overwhelmingly white. what is your argument of that being representative of current state of the democratic party as opposed to nevada, south carolina. there is a larger percentage of people of color voting in the states. how do you counter the

criticism. >> we have diversity in the state. i have already pointed out the result has been president obama getting elected twice. you take a community like waterloo, iowa. he has the whole african-american city council. you go to a town like west liberty. the entire community is from the latin x community. just this past year with our local city council school board and mayoral election and people of color are running for office and most of them winning. that gets back before the success that we had and point out the statement. the first black chair of the

major party here in iowa. i'm the first african-american representative from my county and city. i'm the first -- i have the distinction and honor of severing as the first black mayor of iowa city. we build upon that growing diversity and issues that diverse communities face across the country. we face them here in iowa as well. the nation has followed. we said, a black man, barrack obama could be and should be president of the united states. we lead iowa saying that love is love and who you chose to marry and start a family with is up to you and the rest of the country followed. decades before brown verses board of education iowa said schools will be intergraded.

that happened first here in iowa. the rest of the country followed. that's part of the case we'll make. >> we are coming up on the half hour. i'd like to thank you for attending this. we'll make sure you have access to our recording after this is over. i'd like to thank you for helping us get our story out. we'll continue to work for you

now, mr. president, there's only one way, only one way, to describe the supreme court's reported decision to overturn roe v. wade -- an abomination. such a decision, if it comes to pass, would be an utter abomination. women across america would suffer irreparable harm to their rights, their health, and their dignity. it will go down as one of the worst and most damaging opinions that the court has handed down in modern history, and the court would suffer a mortal blow to its reputation that i fear will last forever. yesterday i pledged that senate democrats will act on legislation to codify roe into law. it is vital that we act quickly