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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False Equivalence

By Gary Pearce April 28, 2015

John Drescher of the N&O called foul on Governor McCrory’s public-records stonewalling. But will the media referees let McCrory manufacture a counterpunch against Roy Cooper? It’s called “false equivalence.” It’s a favorite media-manipulation trick. Let’s say your candidate has a big, fat negative. Like you haven’t fulfilled a public-records request dating back to last July.…

Jim Hunt Documentary on WRAL

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2015

Here’s a TV viewing tip for those who want to see the right way to do politics and public service.   Wednesday at 7 pm, WRAL will air a one-hour documentary, “State of Mine: The Jim Hunt Story.” It’s narrated by WRAL News anchor David Crabtree and was produced by WRAL News Documentary Producer Clay…

Crazy Train

By Gary Pearce April 24, 2015

The “religious freedom” train ran off the rails on Jones Street yesterday. House Republicans realized the state would lose business and some of them would lose elections.   It was a telling turnaround for a body that had pushed through a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages just a few years back. If you ever doubted…

Good Old Days

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2015

WRAL’s documentary on Jim Hunt brings back fond, and not so fond, memories. It implicitly brings up the dramatically different philosophy that marks North Carolina’s leadership today. It shows the toll that politics can take on all involved, especially families. And it tells a largely untold story about one key to Hunt’s success, Carolyn Hunt.…

Hillary’s Wing Men

By Gary Pearce April 22, 2015

A wise old Democrat notes, “Don’t forget this about Hillary Clinton: She’ll have two of the best politicians in America helping her – Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.”   Between them, Bill and Barack have won four presidential elections. One more than the Bushes and four more than the other wanna-be’s.

Wizards

By Carter Wrenn April 22, 2015

If there’s a lonesome pilgrim out there hoping the recent Supreme Court decision will restore honor and fairness to redistricting… well, the Wizards have him surrounded.   When Republicans dreams came true and, at long last, they got to draw their own districts, they set out to find a special kind of Wizard.   Next…

Famous Last Words

By Gary Pearce April 22, 2015

This guy wanted the last laugh. But is it funny or just a sad commentary on politics today?   WSOC-TV reported that a Cabarrus County man who died last week, Larry Upright, 81, had one final request for his family. So the obituary they wrote concludes: “Also, the family respectfully asks that you do not…

Recalculating…

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2015

A TAPster more knowledgeable than me offers a word of praise for one thing the legislature is doing:   The legislature this week will continue its napalm assault on long-standing policies and practices in the civil war to create a conservative nirvana in North Carolina. And, while most Republican efforts have hurt the poor, the…

Crazy

By Carter Wrenn April 20, 2015

It happens just about every day: You open the newspaper, read about a politician, and shake your head thinking, That’s just plain crazy.   Not long ago the Senate proposed that, prior to Congress approving an agreement with Iran, the President should certify Iran is not supporting “terrorist attacks against Americans.”   Oddly that didn’t…

Political Shots Fired

By Gary Pearce April 28, 2026

The political sniping began even as chaos still reigned at the White House Correspondents Dinner. My…

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…