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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Debates

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2024

Debates can turn a campaign on its head. My book, The Trail of the Serpent, is going to be published in August. I tell stories about politics from Reagan’s campaign against President Gerald Ford through Trump and Biden. One story is about Jesse Helms’ first debate with Jim Hunt in 1984. In Jesse’s campaign we…

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Outside Money Talks in NC

By Gary Pearce June 27, 2024

How rotten and corrupt is campaign financing in North Carolina? Worse than you think. Capitol Broadcasting Company has exposed the impact of outside money – “dark” money, from anonymous big-money donors – on our elections. They term it “astonishing” in a series released this week. CBC Editorial reports, “Increasingly, the money influencing North Carolina elections…

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Vengeance and Forgiveness

By Carter Wrenn June 26, 2024

Reading about Trump, Biden, politicians, in newspapers is like watching two warring camps – that hate each other. At rallies gripping the podium Trump tells Trumpster’s: ‘I am your retribution’ – forgiveness flies out the window. We’ve walked down this road before. Back in 1865, watching the South collapse, to sow seeds of forgiveness Abraham…

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The Pier

By Carter Wrenn June 25, 2024

Muddled creatures, thinking they hold power in their hands, men learn they don’t. Hamas charged into Israel, slaughtered Israelites – Biden said he backed Israel 100%. Got cheers. Next protests erupted howling as Israel bombed Gaza. Those protestors didn’t represent many voters but, running neck ‘n neck against Trump, losing just a fraction of voters…

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Fox Latest Poll

By Carter Wrenn June 24, 2024

One day a Fox News pundit said Trump’s lead over Biden, set in stone, ‘won’t budge.’ The next day Fox News released a new poll: Biden led Trump. For the first time since last year. Trump tore into Fox, called its poll: ‘Trash.’ For eight months Trump led Biden in every Fox poll. What changed?…

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Cooper Trending

By Gary Pearce June 24, 2024

I started a Cooper for President boom. I blogged and tweeted about Governor Roy Cooper as a possible candidate in 2028, and it got more responses than anything I’ve ever done. For the record, I didn’t check first with the Governor’s team. And I may have to go into hiding from First Lady Kristin Bernhardt…

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President Cooper

By Gary Pearce June 18, 2024

The Democrat most responsible for Joe Biden being President thinks Governor Roy Cooper would be a good presidential candidate in 2028. In an interview with Politico, (“The Man Who Saved Biden’s 2020 Campaign Lets Loose”), South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn (photo) names five possible nominees: Vice President Kamala Harris, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, California Governor…

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A Rare Thing

By Carter Wrenn June 14, 2024

Face to face with a brutal choice he asked himself: Was it right for him to replace Biden’s presidential Electors – approved by state legislatures – with Trump Electors (picked by Trump). He knew, under the Constitution, a vice president couldn’t give Trump what he wanted – but he also knew telling Trump no was…

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The Governor’s Race: Stein Slams Robinson

By Carter Wrenn June 13, 2024

I walked into my bedroom, turned on the TV, caught a glimpse of Mark Robinson’s face, turned, his voice roared – stopped me in my tracks. Most political ads are cliches wrapped in flashy graphics, dark music, laced with melodramatic voices – you watch one for five seconds and tune it out. But in Josh…

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A Surprise

By Carter Wrenn December 23, 2024

‘You tell a lot of good stories about Reagan, like his saying a prayer for the…

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Grinch Griffin

By Gary Pearce December 22, 2024

The Grinch tried to steal Christmas. Jefferson Griffin is trying to steal an election at Christmas.…

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Tall Tales?

By Carter Wrenn December 20, 2024

I might be wrong but a story one of Kamala Harris’ political wizards told after she…

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