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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Does that matter to Us…

By Carter Wrenn June 18, 2025

Hitler rolled tanks into Poland – four weeks later Poles lost their freedom. Hitler blitzkrieg-ed into France – six weeks later Frenchmen lost their freedom. Putin charged into Ukraine three years ago – but still hasn’t taken Ukrainian’s freedom away. His blitzkrieg failed. But he’s still pounding away and Ukraine’s strength is ebbing. Does Ukraine…

Cooper Must Run

By Gary Pearce June 17, 2025

“It’s not that Roy Cooper should run for Senate,” my friend Sam said over lunch. “He has to run.” He’s right. America’s house is on fire, and we all have to pick up a hose or a bucket. Governor Cooper has the best chance to unseat Senator Thom Tillis next year and become the decisive…

Resist. Read.

By Gary Pearce June 16, 2025

“There is a reason that fascists burn books. They are afraid of critical thinking. They are afraid of thought. What you have learned here at Wesleyan is how to read…. Reading is the most subversive thing you can do.” That bright ray broke through the clouds of commencement-speech cliches. It’s from the writer Percival Everett’s…

Rain on His Parade

By Gary Pearce June 15, 2025

Trump got his parade, but not the pictures he wanted. The Army put on a grand show, but the weather was dreary, Trump looked dejected at times and the crowd was unimpressive. More impressive were the millions of Americans who turned out in sunshine and rain in thousands of communities to proclaim “No King.” Meanwhile,…

Achilles Heel

By Carter Wrenn June 13, 2025

Last week, opening a poll, turning pages I read about voters in a NC district: Trump’s approval rating was Approve 51%, Disapprove 47% – not  bad. But buried between the lines was a subtle hitch: The voters who approved of Trump split into two groups – 70% liked both Trump’s policies and his character. But…

Trump to Vets: Drop Dead

By Gary Pearce June 13, 2025

Trump uses troops as political props, orders them to parade before him on his birthday and deploys them to “quell” protests against him. Meanwhile, he’s gutting healthcare for veterans. He treats veterans like – his words – “losers” and “suckers.” The Guardian reports that the Veterans Administration, which provides healthcare to more than 9 million…

Cheering the Lesser Sin

By Carter Wrenn June 12, 2025

Leaning back smiling, a devout Christian, Chris praised Trump for stopping wokeness – I asked how he saw Trump’s religion. He paused, said thoughtfully, Getting wounded probably deepened Trump’s faith but he grew up in New York as a real estate tycoon. He’s got religion. But he’s got a ways to go. He laughed, then…

How Much Power…

By Carter Wrenn June 11, 2025

Habeas Corpus. What those two Latin words mean is simple: They mean the government can’t throw you in jail without a trial. Unless you’re guilty. That old doctrine that goes all the way back to the Magna Carta. The Founding Fathers wrote it into the Constitution, saying habeas corpus can only be suspended by Congress…

Honor

By Gary Pearce June 11, 2025

My friend Redge Hanes of Winston-Salem, who served with honor in the Army in Vietnam, wrote this about Trump and Los Angeles: “The National Guard, called out under doubtful and possibly illegal pretenses by the man who occupies the White House, is set to ‘quell’ the protests in LA. Quell is an interesting word when…

Getting the News

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2026

How do you get your news? Our statewide poll asked North Carolina voters what their primary…

MAGA-gator

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2026

Thom Tillis and Phil Berger fed the MAGA alligator. Then it ate them. Thomas Mills wrote…

Enough is Enough

By Gary Pearce March 11, 2026

Exactly 80 years ago, in 1946, Republicans took control of Congress with a simple message: “Had…