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BALDWIN: Joining me now live from the biggest caucus location tonight, Cedar Falls, Iowa, is Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. Six terms, sir, six terms in the Senate, absolute stalwart in Iowa politics. Good to have you on.

Let me just see if I have this right. October 13th you said you might endorse a candidate before the caucuses. October 19th you said you wouldn't make an endorsement. Next day you said you might change your mind. Senator Grassley, you kind of sound like an Iowa voter.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: Well, listen, it's a fact that I'm announcing right now that I'm not going to back anybody. And the reason I'm not going to do that is I find each of the candidates -- some of them have some differences of opinion with me -- but for the most part I think we have a very strong field and any one of them can beat Barack Obama.

And I want the process to work its way through and I want to see my job tonight as encouraging the party as I go around to the different caucuses. And secondly I want to make sure that we're able to coalesce around our candidate to see elected sometime this summer.

BALDWIN: So let me just press that on you. I mean, you're officially saying you're not endorsing anyone. Is it because the top of the crop isn't that appealing or like you said, you think any of those three -- you think any of those three could defeat Barack Obama?

. GRASSLEY: Of course, that's the way I feel. I think that we've got a very strong field. And I want to make sure that the process works out. And I believe that one of the three or four that come to the top tonight and move on through the process, one of those will be the next President of the United States.

BALDWIN: OK, Senator, I know even though you're not making an official announcement, you have said some pretty nice things about Rick Santorum. Let me just quote you, "He's a tough fighter, not afraid to take on tough issues ," this is you, Chuck Grassley, on Rick Santorum.

Would a strong showing tonight, a strong showing on behalf of Rick Santorum benefit your party or just cause additional chaos down the road?

GRASSLEY: No. I think that you're going to have two or three people go through New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and maybe that's the end of it, or maybe into Nevada but not through the whole primary system.

I think a long time before that we're going to have a ticket. But you're going to have some philsophical differences that are going to make one or two of these three people beyond Mitt Romney that are going to be able to this a contest for several state primaries coming up yet.

BALDWIN: Iowa, it's probably less known for picking winners than for eliminating loses. Is there anyone out there that you want to see eliminated by caucus-goers tonight?

GRASSLEY: Well, I think even if I wanted to see somebody eliminated, I obviously wouldn't say that.

BALDWIN: Oh, come on. It's just us talking.

(CROSSTALK)

GRASSLEY: (Inaudible). OK. But I think you're -- I think you've got to look at it from a practical standpoint. So as long as you have these free debates and people get free TV, they are not anxious with all of the work that they've put in for the last six or eight months to call it quits just because they maybe come in fifth or sixth in Iowa.

BALDWIN: Ok. But before I let you go, Senator Grassley, I'm going to give you one more chance to make news, make an endorsement. How about -- how about Mitt Romney, Senator?

GRASSLEY: Listen, you're not going to do that to me. I've been in politics a long time but I can say this. You have a right to do it. I appreciate you trying to feel me out.

I know you have a responsibility to do that but I want you to know that I'm going to be satisfied with the outcome of the Iowa caucuses and I think where one of these people that are going to be in the top three or four, one of them is going to defeat Barack Obama.

BALDWIN: All right. Senator Chuck Grassley, thank you so much, sir. I had to try again.

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