Vote 2012: "Edith and Carolyn" Credited With Ending Iowa Caucuses

By Mark Carlson, Reporter

Carolyn Tallett of Clinton talks to SourceMedia Group News reporter Mark Carlson in her Clinton home on Wednesday, January 4, 2011, several hours after she and her friend, Clinton County Republican Chair Edith Pfeffer, became instant stars during a late night phone interview on CNN to help sort out the close race in the 2012 Republican Caucus. Tallett and Pfeffer have received numerous media requests in the hours that followed their national appearance on CNN. (Matt Nelson/SourceMedia Group News)

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By Eric Stidman

Story Created: Jan 4, 2012 at 6:06 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jan 4, 2012 at 7:29 PM CDT

CLINTON, Iowa - Two Eastern Iowa woman are being credited for helping to bring the marathon Iowa caucus vote count to an end. Edith Pfeffer and Carolyn Tallett, both Clinton County Republicans, called in the missing precinct numbers for a second time early Wednesday morning. “Edith is the (party) chair, so she had the numbers,” said Tallett. “She was sleeping, so I took off in the night to wake her up, and ran across the yard, and banged on the door, and rang the doorbell.” Tallett, a 70-year-old grandmother, and Pfeffer, chair of the Clinton County Republican Party, said the numbers had previously been called in. The state Republican party likely miscounted or misplaced them the first-time, Tallett speculated. The confusion carried over to CNN coverage, when the two were interviewed over the phone by Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper and John King. “What do you mean the numbers don’t match?” questioned Pfeffer, after King pointed out that state officials were reporting different results than the county. Cooper later called it, “The greatest live phone call ever.” The ladies spirited and humorous exchange turned them into Internet superstars. At one point “Edith and Carolyn” began trending number one on Twitter. The on-air staff of CNN reporters, anchors and analysis gave the two a standing ovation. “It was interesting,” Tallett, who has family living in the Cedar Rapids area, said. “We couldn’t see anything, we were on the telephone.” Mitt Romney narrowly won the state contest, beating Rick Santorum by just eight votes. The Clinton County adjustment helped him pass Santorum, who had been leading by just four votes. It was the tightest race in Iowa Caucus history. CNN Appearance: Full Interview:

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