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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Trump Up

By Gary Pearce July 10, 2015

How is this possible? How can this poll be right? How can Donald Trump be leading the Republican presidential race in North Carolina with 16 percent of the vote? Why isn’t his lead much bigger? How can Republicans not support the self-described “most successful person ever to run for President”? A “really rich man.” A…

Playing with Fire

By Carter Wrenn July 9, 2015

Like him or not, Phil Berger’s about the most powerful politician around; last year, just so no one got confused about who rules the roost in Raleigh, he and the Senate Bull Mooses put the kibosh on the Governor’s pet ‘puppy mills’ bill and, this year, they’re creatively discovering ways to expand their power no…

Dump Grant?

By Gary Pearce July 9, 2015

After Rob Christensen and I engaged in a high-toned debate on whether Alexander Hamilton should be on the $10 bill and I proposed that we instead dump Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill, a TAPster had a terse reply: “Hell no. Dump Grant, who was responsible for killing thousands of Americans and was a half-ass…

Not so fast, Rob

By Gary Pearce July 8, 2015

Rob Christensen is right that Alexander Hamilton did much to create today’s America. But there’s another side to Hamilton’s coin – er, $10 bill. Yes, Hamilton’s contributions were remarkable. He became one of George Washington’s most effective combat commanders in the Revolution. He became President Washington’s most trusted counselor. He became the son that the…

How Obama’s Whipping ISIS

By Carter Wrenn July 8, 2015

The Kurds are about the only folks around who’ve whipped ISIS on a battlefield and Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Gulf States want to send them guns so they can whip ISIS some more but President Obama says No. He says the arms ought to be sent to Baghdad which, theoretically, in turn, will send…

House Vs. Senate

By Gary Pearce July 7, 2015

First the House got its arms twisted by the Senate and cried uncle. WRAL’s Mark Binker described what happened last week after even Republicans in the House couldn’t swallow the Greensboro gerrymandering scheme: “House lawmakers weren’t smiling as they filed back into their chamber at 12:48 p.m. Thursday. Only 40 minutes ago they had rejected…

A Transformation President

By Carter Wrenn July 7, 2015

President Obama’s Commander-in-Chief but he has an unusual way of fighting wars. No soldier marches near a battlefield. Three out of four airstrikes return to base without dropping a bomb. And if you’re a general who thinks using overwhelming force makes sense, well, forget about it. It also looks like the President’s negotiating strategy is…

Crazy Dust, Democratic Style

By Gary Pearce July 6, 2015

Carter blogged that, with Donald Trump polling in second place in the Republican race for President, some of his opponents might wonder whether “some evil genie popped out of a bottle and spewed crazy-dust all over Republican voters.” Well, Democrats take second place to none when it comes to crazy dust. How else do you…

The Jewel in the Crown

By Carter Wrenn July 6, 2015

When the scandal broke five years ago – after a ‘tweet’ by a tackle on the football team – the wise men at UNC faced a choice: Fess-up or cover-up. They covered-up. And eight media organizations sued because they wouldn’t make public records available to the press. Three months later, skating on thinner and thinner…

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…