Carter is a Republican. Gary is a Democrat.

They met in 1984, during the epic U.S. Senate battle between Jesse Helms and Jim Hunt. Carter worked for Helms and Gary, for Hunt.

Years later, they became friends. They even worked together on some nonpolitical clients.

They enjoy talking about politics. So they started this blog in 2005.

They’re still talking. And they invite you to join the conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

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No Guile

By Carter Wrenn January 11, 2018

Michael Wolff wrote Trump was crazy and dumb and Trump fired back on Twitter that he was a smart, stable genius but the master of the put-down (who once immolated Lindsey Graham by calling him a dumb, crazy, nut-job in one breath) had slipped: Trump tweeting he wasn’t crazy sounded crazy. Wolff wasn’t entirely unkind…

The River

By Carter Wrenn January 10, 2018

The ‘Tweet of the Year’ award doesn’t go to Trump or a Hollywood liberal but to Mike Huckabee who, after watching The Darkest Hour, tweeted ‘in Donald Trump we have found our Churchill.’ The Trumpsters set Twitter on fire with cheers and the ‘Trump Haters’ had heart-lock – and politics went crazy again. Later, the…

Cooped up

By Gary Pearce January 10, 2018

2017 was a cold first year for Governor Cooper. More heat is coming in 2018. Fittingly Cooper started both years on TV, managing snow and ice storms and wearing “disaster casual” (a tip of the TAP hat to Joe Stewart). In between, the Governor navigated an icy relationship with a power-crazed Republican legislature. He spent…

There are leaders. And there’s Trump

By Gary Pearce January 8, 2018

The big holiday gift book was about Grant. The big movie is about Churchill. The hot book now – and the big story – is about Trump. Two leaders. And one poor excuse for a leader. I haven’t read the Trump book. I’ve read plenty about it. It’s set the political and media agenda since…

A Sad Ending

By Carter Wrenn December 29, 2017

One morning at 6:23 am, not long after Roy Moore lost, the President set out to reassure his base by tweeting that, since Republicans were 5-0 in the Special Elections for Congress, they were on track to do ‘very very well’ in the upcoming election – then explaining his talents as a prognosticator the President…

Happy 2018

By Gary Pearce December 28, 2017

A year that started with Trump’s inauguration was bound to suck. Good riddance, 2017. The year – and Trump – were so bad, 2018 is bound to be better. First, there’s a counter-reaction coming. There always is in politics. Second, women are mobilizing, voting, organizing, running and winning. That caused earthquakes in Virginia and Alabama.…

Trump or taxes?

By Gary Pearce December 21, 2017

Republicans have picked their battle line for 2018: “We cut your taxes, the economy is booming, stick with us.” Will Democrats take that fight? Or is there a better path to victory? Maybe the Republican tax bill will be the political and economic disaster that Washington Democrats say it is. But, hey, Democrats don’t have…

Moore questions

By Gary Pearce December 11, 2017

Fundraising emails from Democrats in Washington insist that Doug Jones could beat Trump’s wingman Roy Moore Tuesday night. Okay, I hear you. But we’re talking about Alabama. If Jones does win, Democrats will face some interesting questions. Like, can we win in the South only when the Republican is a creepy sexual predator? If the…

One White Hot Story

By Carter Wrenn December 7, 2017

Brian Ross had a ‘confidential’ source, an insider close to Michael Flynn – so at 11 o’clock last Friday morning Ross (of ABC News ) dropped a bombshell: Michael Flynn was going to testify Trump had ordered him to contact the Russians before the election.  The world turned upside down. Twitter and Facebook exploded. The…

Political Shots Fired

By Gary Pearce April 28, 2026

The political sniping began even as chaos still reigned at the White House Correspondents Dinner. My…

Obama 48-Trump 39

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2026

A new nationwide poll shows that, if they could run against each other in 2028, Barack…

“Conservative Successes”?

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2026

Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…