Know a lot About Iowa Politics? Try Patch's Iowa Debate Quiz

Saturday's GOP presidential debate marks three decades of a tradition that helped shape the national importance of the Iowa caucuses.

The debate is being put on by ABC News/Yahoo!, ABC5/WOI-DT, The Republican Party of Iowa and the Des Moines Register at Drake University in Des Moines.

To get ready for Iowa's 2011 presidential debate, we've prepared a quiz to test your political memory and get you ready for the show Saturday.

1. Who denied she was a "pit bull" at a Register debate?

a. Hillary Clinton

b. Elizabeth Dole

c. Pat Schroeder

d. Carol Moseley Braun

2. What candidate led his opponents in prayer during the time for his debate closing statement?

a. Mike Huckabee

b. George W. Bush

c. Alan Keyes

d. Jesse Jackson

3. What candidate confessed to being "a sinner" during the debate?

a. Gary Hart

b. Bill Clinton

c. Pat Robertson

d. George W. Bush

4. Which of these presidents never participated in an Iowa debate?

a. Ronald Reagan

b. George Bush

c. Bill Clinton

d. Jimmy Carter

5. Who requested for a taller podium than his rivals'?

a. Fred Thompson

b. Bill Bradley

c. John Kerry

d. Alexander Haig

6. Who asked for his dressing room to be stocked with Diet Coke before the debate?

a. Al Gore

b. John Edwards

c. Howard Dean

d. Dennis Kucinich

7. Who was most criticized by the press for their performance at a debate?

a. Alan Keyes

b. Jerry Brown

c. Jim Gannon

d. Carolyn Washburn

8. Who was booed by the studio audience when he was introduced?

a. Jimmy Carter

b. Alexander Haig

c. Jim Gannon

d. George W. Bush

Lets see how you did.

1. Who denied she was a "pit bull" at a Register debate?

Colorado Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder was the Democratic questioner for Republican candidates in 1988. In introducing herself, Schroeder - who had sobbed earlier in the year when she announced that she would not run for president - told the candidates "I'm not the Democratic pit bull. Pit bulls don't cry."

2.  What candidate led his opponents in prayer during the time for his debate closing statement?

When it came time for his 30-second closing statement during the 2000 Republican debates, conservative commentator Alan Keyes closed his eyes and prayed: "Dear Lord our God, give us the wisdom and the sense of humility that we will return to those principles which acknowledge your authority as the source of our rights and our liberties." His surprised rivals followed his lead and bowed their heads.

3. What candidate confessed to being "a sinner" during the debate?

The 1988 Iowa Democratic debate with the first debate for Gary Hart, after getting back into the presidential race. Hart had dropped out of the race after media reports that he was having an extramarital affair with Donna Rice. Des Moines Register Editor James Gannon asked Hart specifically about the question of morality: "I've made mistakes. I probably should have said in that interview that I'm a sinner. My religion tells me all of us are sinners.  I think the question is whether our sins prohibit us or prevent us from providing strong leadership," Hart said.

4. Which of these presidents never participated in an Iowa debate?

Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter never debated in Iowa. Carter was sitting president and running for reelection during the first debates in 1980, and cancelled his appearance saying he couldn't leave Washington because of the Iran hostage crisis. 

Reagan refused the invitation to the Register's first Republican debate in 1980, saying the event would be "divisive," according the Register's 2007 article on the history of the debates. 

In 1992, when Bill Clinton ran, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin also was running for president and it was assumed that he would win the Iowa Caucuses (he did with 78 percent of the vote), so Democrats skipped the state and no Democratic debate was held.

5. Who requested a taller podium than his rivals?

John Kerry, during the 2004 debate, asked for the taller podium. His request was denied.

6. Who asked that his dressing room to be stocked with Diet Coke before the debate?

John Edwards during the 2004 debate. None of the candidates made any special requests for their dressing rooms at Iowa Public Television except for Edwards who just wanted as Diet Coke. Dennis Kucinich enjoyed a vegan  meal that his staffers picked up at New City Market, according to Register news accounts.

7. Who was most criticized by the press for their performance at the debate?

Register editor Carolyn Washburn was skewered by the national press in 2007. Washburn was accused of being too controlling of the pace of the Republican debate and the Wall Street Journal said she treated the candidates "like schoolchildren."

Political news shows parodied her as Nurse Rachet in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and "Hotline" commentator Amy Walter portrayed Washburn on her show by putting on her glasses and heavy rouge because Washburn looked heavily made-up under the television lights.

8. Who was booed by the studio audience when he was introduced?

Register Editor Jim Gannon in 1988 because he was unpopular for recently firing Register columnist Donald Kaul, recalled Republican lawyer Steve Roberts who was in the audience that night.