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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McCrory’s Make-up Test

By Gary Pearce July 2, 2014

Governor McCrory acts like a man who had a serious health scare and now vows to eat right and exercise.  His main exercise is running away from the state Senate as fast as he can.   Clearly, the Governor has seen the Senate’s poll numbers on education. He doesn’t want to catch that bug.  …

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A Year Later…

By Carter Wrenn July 1, 2014

Last year (after their big victory in the 2012 election) as soon as Republican State Senators and State Representatives got to Raleigh they went to work to cut spending and it was almost like a competition:   The House would announce it had cut a hundred million dollars.   And the Senate would top that…

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Corporations Vs. The People

By Gary Pearce July 1, 2014

This is one of the oldest battles in our Republic. And you ain’t seen nothing yet.   The U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision ignites a battle over women’s health care, which will command center stage. But it’s really just part of the long-running battle over the proper relationship between corporations and the government/the people.…

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Who Captured Whom?

By Carter Wrenn June 30, 2014

As much as I admire the Old Bull Mooses’ single-minded pertinacity, I’ve been unkind lately to the State Senate but at dinner last night Conor, who may be the last of the Jessecrats, set me straight.   I’d written – a couple of days ago – how the Democratic political wizards around Raleigh believe the…

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The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!

By Gary Pearce June 30, 2014

Maybe Chad Barefoot really believes Putin reared his head and Russia reached its tentacles into the anti-fracking forces in North Carolina.   Or maybe it’s just a cynical attempt to raise money from a Fox-fed mob of ignoramuses.   Or maybe it’s a desperate overreaction to a poll showing that voters don’t like fracking.  …

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Old-Fashioned Back Room Politics?

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2014

The other day while I was having lunch with one of Raleigh’s Democratic wizards he said, You know a lot of people believe the Senate Republican Caucus has captured the Chamber of Commerce and turned it into an appendage of its political committee.   I said, How’s that? and he explained the Democrats, rooting through…

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The Wrong Cure

By Carter Wrenn June 26, 2014

Mike, a young down-the-line rock-ribbed Republican partisan who sees eye to eye with Senator Bob Rucho (who once tweeted ‘Obamacare has done more damage than the Nazis’) but is too smart to say anything that foolish within earshot of a reporter, and Jim who would like Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for President because Hilary’s…

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We Don’t Hear You, Raleigh

By Gary Pearce June 26, 2014

It’s a rite of summer. The House, the Senate and the Governor can’t agree on a budget. They tell themselves that millions of North Carolinians are in suspense, following the latest twist in the budget deliberations like they’re binge-watching Netflix.   This year, Governor McCrory and Speaker Tillis decide a bold stroke is needed to…

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Two Sides to Every Coin

By Carter Wrenn June 25, 2014

When the ‘anti-frackers’ launched their million dollar ad campaign to defeat Chad Barefoot and three other Republican State Senators the Senate Republican Caucus returned fire, calling on Barefoot’s opponent to denounce the flood of “special interest money” pouring into the district then added, “Who knows what Sarah Crawford (Barefoot’s opponent) has promised these people.”  …

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Joe John

By Gary Pearce January 22, 2025

State Representative Joe John, who died today, looked something like a friendly but fierce bulldog. He…

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What You Missed

By Gary Pearce January 21, 2025

Some of my friends didn’t watch Trump’s inauguration. One went to church. One went to every…

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Women Warriors

By Gary Pearce January 19, 2025

The Democratic Party needs to get tougher, and that’s a job for Democratic women. Sydney Batch…

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