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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Elevator Queen

By Gary Pearce October 12, 2015

Mandy Locke’s series in the N&O pretty well tells us Cherie Berry’s approach as Commissioner of Labor: She gets her name on elevators, and workers get the shaft.  

The Intangible

By Carter Wrenn October 12, 2015

The political powers that be up in Washington are telling everyone who’ll listen that Deborah Ross is too liberal to defeat Richard Burr but, still, Deborah Ross on a tear is a wonder to behold. Senator Richard Burr is steady as it goes. He’s genial and laid back and accommodating to a fault while Deborah…

Drunktown hangover

By Gary Pearce October 8, 2015

It’s always an honor when the N&O quotes my blog. But it’s annoying when they put words I didn’t say in my mouth. I’m afraid that’s what Colin Campbell did today in his story “Did the ‘Drunktown’ campaign ads work?” Colin is an A-plus reporter, but I give him a D-minus here. His story focused…

Vomit politics

By Gary Pearce October 7, 2015

Through the fog of over-analysis, misdiagnosis and total BS that comes after every election, one thing is clear about Raleigh’s vote Tuesday: the “Drunktown” ad didn’t work. Its main target, Mary-Ann Baldwin, led the at-large race. Why didn’t it work? Simple: voters didn’t believe it. They didn’t believe for a minute that a member of…

Money grab

By Gary Pearce October 5, 2015

Exhibit A: The feds launch a grand jury investigation into no-bid, sweetheart contracts at DHHS. Exhibit B: Republicans ram through a law enabling politicians to raise unlimited money from unlimited special interests and spend it in unlimited ways. From the Grant Administration to Teapot Dome to Watergate to Jim Black, history teaches us where this…

Final days in the legislative bunker

By Gary Pearce October 2, 2015

Today’s blog is written by Gene Upchurch, a retired Progress Energy executive who spent many a year as a legislative lobbyist: Videos of state senators throwing footballs and dancing on the Senate floor this week were certainly undignified, and prompted suggestions that it was the first activity on the Senate floor this year that didn’t…

The 60-year war on public schools

By Gary Pearce September 30, 2015

This didn’t start when the Republicans took over the legislature in 2010. It dates back to the US Supreme Court decision outlawing segregated schools in 1954. Now, a toxic crew of racists, right-wingers and private-school profiteers smell victory. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Governors, legislators and school boards across the South pulled out every…

A Tough Question

By Carter Wrenn September 28, 2015

Ole Ned Barnett, the Editorial-Writing-Chief down at the News and Observer, is a fine fellow though like many Editorial-Chiefs he’s a bone deep liberal who frets over the vices of sexism and the virtues of gay rights and seldom finds an encouraging word to say about Republicans. Which is fine. The N&O’s spending its own…

Strongmen. Or not.

By Gary Pearce September 28, 2015

Two would-be strongmen huffed and puffed, postured and blustered on 60 Minutes Sunday night, but neither Vladimir Putin nor Donald Trump could hold a candle to the strength that Pope Francis showed America during his visit. The Pope reminded us that real strength means faith, empathy and compassion, not name-calling, mouthing off and macho posing.…

Independents Turn Against GOP

By Gary Pearce March 17, 2026

North Carolina voters don’t like either the Democratic or Republican parties. But Independent voters – who…

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…