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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Tillis and Cooper

By Gary Pearce June 30, 2025

Thom Tillis and Roy Cooper now have the opportunity – no, the obligation – to turn the tide of history against Trump. Tillis made a political decision not to run for reelection. Now he should make a patriotic declaration of conscience. For the next 18 months – unbound by reelection concerns – Tillis can be…

A Winning Message

By Gary Pearce June 28, 2025

Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, won the mayoral primary in New York City on the same message Trump won on in 2024: things cost too much and we need to get prices down. Trump, of course, has broken that promise. He keeps us distracted with ICE raids, Iran bombs, Qatari jets, Trump bitcoins and Trump…

Who Can You Believe?

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2025

It’s hard to get your arms around what’s going on these days – one thing pops up, a contradiction pops up, and it leaves you befuddled. Trump said we ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear sites. That sounded good. Better than good. The ayatollah wouldn’t get his hands on a nuclear bomb. But in the blink of an…

Strange Times…

By Carter Wrenn June 25, 2025

MAGA Queen Marjorie Taylor Greene whacked Trump for bombing Iran – what she posted next was odder: She said John F. Kennedy was assassinated because he’d opposed Israel’s ‘nuclear program.’ J. D. Vance, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio all said we’re not after ‘regime change’ in Iran – Trump said, Why not regime change? Trump announced…

Trump’s F-Bomb

By Gary Pearce June 25, 2025

On the White House lawn Tuesday, Trump told reporters that Iran and Israel “don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” Rather than repeat the word, The New York Times decorously referred to his “expletive-laced remarks.” BBC did it this way: “Trump said neither side ‘knows what … they’re doing’ – unusually using an expletive while…

Conflicts of Interest

By Gary Pearce June 24, 2025

When I covered the legislature for The News & Observer, we reported on a House member who sponsored a bill that directly benefitted his business. We asked him, isn’t that a conflict of interest? He was defiant: “This bill doesn’t conflict with my interests.” This week, Lucille Sherman reported in Axios, “House Rules Chairman Rep.…

“Rank Hypocrisy”

By Gary Pearce June 23, 2025

It was poor judgment for Democratic state Rep. Julie von Haefen to post a picture of a “beheadings” protest sign. She had the character and courage to admit it and apologize on the floor of the House (photo). Republican Speaker Destin Hall professed outrage over the post and admonished House members to “hold yourselves to…

Trump’s War

By Gary Pearce June 22, 2025

Trump did what he said he’d never do: get us in a war. He lied again. Last weekend, he was embarrassed by his less-than-impressive military parade – the squeaky tank, the ragged marching and the soldier carrying a drone like a toy airplane. This weekend, he decided to play War President. For him, it’s a…

It’s Odd…

By Carter Wrenn June 20, 2025

Decorating the walls with gold filigree, lining the mantle with gold ornaments, Trump set the stage for ‘Live from the White House.’ The cabinet met, cameras rolled, around the table, somber, differential, smiling, Bondi, Hegseth, Noem lauded Trump. Zelensky walked onto stage – it was like watching a wrestling bout, Trump, Vance pounding, Zelensky dodging.…

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…

Rise and Fall

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2026

A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…