SNEAK PEEK: Lights, Camera, Action

January 3, 2008— -- 5 Days Until the New Hampshire Primary

After so much waiting, waiting, waiting, it's finally Iowa Caucus Day.

But for anxious campaigns, journalists and political junkies, the day has only brought more waiting, waiting and waiting.

The Iowa Democratic and Republican caucuses really do not begin until 8:00 pm ET tonight so today allowed for plenty of time to discuss who will win, place and show and to hit refresh on the ABC News' Political Radar (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/) and monitor all of the candidates as they did one last event, meet and greet, and rally, denied striking any deals, or pushed back against rumors of their impending departure from the race.

Some nuts and bolts of the caucuses…

Iowa Democrats will gather in 1,781 precincts:

--Call to order: 7:10 pm – 7:30 pm ET (Anyone in line by 8:00 pm ET allowed to participate).

--Presidential preference begins at 8:00 pm ET

--Results could begin to come in as early as 8:15-8:30 pm ET (more likely: 8:30 pm ET)

--Democratic outcome will likely be known at 10:00 pm ET.

Iowa Republicans will gather in 1,781 precincts:

--8:00 pm ET: Iowa Republican Caucuses get underway

--8:30 pm ET: Precincts begin reporting

--8:45 pm ET: Bulk of precincts report

--9:00 pm ET: Outcome of Iowa Republican Caucuses will be known.

Things to look for tonight:1. Second choicesWith all due respect to Madonna, second best may be enough for one of the Democratic frontrunners looking to leap frog an opponent in the standings.

ABC News' Teddy Davis reports that the main difference between the Iowa Democratic Caucuses and the Iowa Republican Caucuses is that the Democrats require candidates in the vast majority of precincts to reach a minimum 15 percent level of support in order to qualify for any delegates. One byproduct of the viability requirement is that it pays to be the second-choice candidate of those rivals who do not reach viability.

So today the stories were flying about possible deals reached between campaigns. The New York Times has an Obama/Richardson deal, the Washington Post has an Obama/Biden deal. No campaign has acknowledged any such deals.

2. Who drops out -- if anybody -- and who they decide to supportFred Thompson has spent some time over the last 24 hours beating back rumors of his impending and imminent departure from the race. But even as his campaign is saying that he has no plans to get out, his language on the trail doesn't seem to reflect an "In it to win it" attitude.

When asked today if it's "on to New Hampshire" regardless of the Iowa results, Thompson said that that some of the candidates "may get shellacked."

"We've got to recognize the signals that we're given and respond accordingly. I expect a strong win. We'll see."

Stay tuned to ABC News throughout the evening for special reports with Charlie Gibson as caucus results become known. Wrap up your night with a special one-hour edition of Nightline with Gibson and Terry Moran from Iowa.

And of course, you can't hit refresh enough at ABCNews.com and the Political Radar LINK

ABC News' senior political editor Rick Klein will be live blogging the caucuses from Des Moines here.

ABCNEWS.com will provide real-time results in a searchable database, updated minute-by-minute with the latest entrance polling information. The ABC News Political Radar blog will be continually updated with dispatches from off-air reporters traveling with the candidates, ABC News correspondents, and anchors in the field.

Go East Young Men (and Woman)!The winners (and losers) have no time to waste before pivoting and turning their attention to the New Hampshire primary (Tuesday Jan. 8)

John McCain has had the state almost entirely to himself over the last few days as his rivals and the Democratic candidates barnstormed Iowa. But tomorrow the Granite State gets very crowded

(We expect to be able to hear the growing rumble of the approaching stampede of campaign staffers, reporters, and supporters heading back east.)

Romney and McCain are not wasting any time to get at it in New Hampshire. Both campaigns released ads in the Granite State today, with Romney putting out another "polite contrast" (negative) ad painting McCain as against tax cuts, for amnesty for illegal immigration and, in perhaps the sharpest blow, past his prime.

McCain's ad is positive and reminds New Hampshire voters that he won there in 2000 and needs them to once again turn "convention on its head" and prove the experts and media wrong.

McCain, who flat out declared tonight in New Hampshire that he will win Tuesday's primary, picked up a solid local endorsement today in New Hampshire from Senate Republican Leader Ted Gatsas.

"John McCain is the only candidate with the strength, experience, and character to lead as commander in chief from day one, and that's why I'm so proud to support him," said Sen. Gatsas in a statement. "As president, John McCain will cut taxes, eliminate wasteful spending, drive economic growth and win the war on radical Islamic extremism. America needs a leader who knows his core values and will never waver in the face of the prevailing political winds. America needs John McCain."

On the campaign trail…

MITT ROMNEY

-- 2:00 am ET: Arrives in New Hampshire, Portsmouth, NH

-- 7:30 am ET: Meets with voters at event, Portsmouth, NH

-- 5:45 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Concord, NH

-- 7:00 pm ET: Holds town hall meeting with voters, Manchester, NH

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends rally with Chuck Norris and voters, Henniker, NH

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 12:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Hollis, NH

-- 1:45 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Nashua, NH

-- 5:45 pm ET: Holds town hall meeting with voters, Hudson, NH

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Salem, NH

-- 5:45 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Nashua, NH

As for the Democrats…

BARACK OBAMA

-- 8:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Portsmouth, NH

-- 12:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Concord, NH

HILLARY CLINTON

-- 8:00 am ET: Attends event with Bill Clinton and voters, Nashua, NH

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attends event with supporters, Milford, NH (Closed to Public)

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 6:15 am ET: Attends rally with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends organizing convention with supporters, Nashua, NH

-- 6:30 pm ET: Holds town hall meeting with voters, Portsmouth, NH

BILL RICHARDSON

-- 9:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 9:30 am ET: Holds media availability, Manchester, NH

-- 10:15 am ET: Attends event with voters, Salem, NH

-- 11:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Salem, NH

-- 11:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Salem, NH

-- 12:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Hudson, NH

-- 1:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Merrimack, NH

-- 2:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 6:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, NH

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Nashua, NH

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Milford, NH

-- 9:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Nashua, NH

-- 10:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Nashua, NH

MIKE GRAVEL

-- 12:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Portsmouth, NH

-- 1:30 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Durham, NH (Closed to Public)

-- 3:00 pm ET: Appears for a radio interview on WUNH, NH

-- 3:30 pm ET: Appears on Manchester Community Access, NH

-- 6:00 pm ET: Appears on Manchester Community Access, NH

At the White House. . .

PRESIDENT BUSH

- 1:00 pm ET: Meets with Working Group on Financial Markets, Roosevelt Room, White House, Washington, DC

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Clinton's Last Push LINK

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Richardson Criss-Crosses Iowa in Last Pre-Caucus Pitch LINK

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Paul, Stephanopoulos and 'The Bet' LINK

ABC News' Brian Wheeler Reports: Biden Targets Edwards on Troop Training LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama's Last Pitch LINK

ABC News' Brian Wheeler Reports: Biden Kicks Off at Local Pub LINK

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Richardson Get the Last Laugh LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Today, Cauci LINK

ABC News' Gary Langers Reports: In Iowa, Somebody's Wrong LINK

ABC News' Raelyn Johnson Reports: Crunch Time for Edwards LINK

ABC News' Tahman Bradley and Teddy Davis Report: Romney-McCain N.H. Ad War Heats Up LINK

ABC News' Brian Ross, Avni Patel and Rhonda Schwartz Report: 2008: 'Dirtiest Presidential Campaign in History' LINK

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Paul: The Ground Game in Iowa LINK

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: Thompson: Others Trying to 'Suppress' Vote LINK

ABC News' Raelyn Johnson Reports: Edwards Pleads for Second Choice Among Non-viables LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: Notes from the Huck-a-trail LINK

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Live Caucus Blogging from Des Moines LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: The Richardson Shuffle LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM

Richardson Gets Last LaughBill Richardson pleads with ABC's Sarah Amos for 'national media' coverage. LINK

This Week All Week Webcast Countdown to the Iowa Caucus. LINK

Will Weather Affect Voters?Cold weather in Iowa could keep some voters home. LINK

Iowa Voters Discuss Hot-Button IssuesChris Cuomo discovers what's on the political menu at Iowa's Drake Diner. LINK

Nightline Video"Caucus: The Musical" LINK

Strategists Sound Off on CandidatesJames Carville and Matthew Dowd weigh in on Republican and Democratic parties. LINK

Caucus 101An explanation of where the term comes from and what it means. LINK

The Keys to Victory in IowaGeorge Stephanopoulos has the bottom line on the Iowa caucuses. LINK

Fatigue in the Final HoursThe presidential candidates' final moments before votes are cast in Iowa. LINK

Mitt Romney One-on-OneThe former Massachusetts governor fights for the front-runner position. LINK

Barack Obama One-on-OneThe Democratic contender comments on his opposition. LINK

Republicans Plot Final PushThe key moments for the Republican contenders before the Iowa caucuses. LINK

Democrats Plot Final PushThe key moments for the Democratic hopefuls LINK