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.

CarterWrenn200x271

Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

Archives

Categories

Eyes on Russia

By Gary Pearce 2023-06-24

While we were obsessing over billionaires at the bottom of the ocean, a civil war broke out in Russia. In 1917, civil war in Russia led to the fall of the Tsar and the rise of communism and the Soviet Union. In 1991, armed conflict in Moscow led to the breakup of the Soviet Union,…

Read More

Dining With Democrats

By Gary Pearce 2023-06-23

I’m doing something Saturday I haven’t done in years: go to a Democratic Party dinner. There, I’ll remember a man who is little known to Democrats, but meant a lot to me – and to North Carolina. The occasion is the state party Unity Dinner. I’ve done my time at these things. I’ve half-eaten too…

Read More

“Deeply Sad” Abortion Ad?

By Gary Pearce 2023-06-21

A right-wing blog took a swing this week at Rachel Hunt’s abortion ad – and at her father, former Governor Jim Hunt. In a blog headlined “Rachel Hunt releases deeply sad campaign video,” Andrew Dunn wrote in Longleaf Politics: “State Sen. Rachel Hunt is making the abortion issue the centerpiece of her campaign for lieutenant…

Read More

Mandy Cohen, Covid and Masks

By Gary Pearce 2023-06-19

MAGA Republicans apparently like masks only when they’re worn by Proud Boys attacking the U.S. Capitol. North Carolina’s junior U.S. senator, “Popgun Ted” Budd, and 8th District Congressman, “Bathroom Dan” Bishop, last week claimed that, when Dr. Mandy Cohen was the state’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, she “spread misinformation about … Covid vaccinations…

Read More

A Fair Trial

By Carter Wrenn 2023-06-19

Trump’s indicted…which means, now, only one thing matters: A fair trial. At the trial prosecutors are going to say Trump lied, obstructed justice; Trump’s lawyers are going to say Trump did absolutely nothing wrong. But the judge refereeing the trial was appointed by Trump and both sides get an equal say on who gets to…

Read More

Tillis’ Tap Dance

By Gary Pearce 2023-06-16

Do I have to start liking Thom Tillis now? The second-term U.S. Senator from North Carolina got censured by the state Republican convention for working with Democrats on guns, immigration and gay marriage. The resolution cited “blatant violations of our party platform.” The NC GOP doesn’t tolerate deviations from the party line. Then-Senator Richard Burr…

Read More

Forgiving An Enemy

By Carter Wrenn 2023-06-16

Six shots rang out. A Secret Service agent stepped in front of Reagan, was shot in the chest; shoving Reagan into the backseat of a limousine another agent landed on top of him pinning him to the floor; Reagan felt a stab of pain in his ribs, coughed up bubbly blood – he collapsed walking…

Read More

The Circus

By Carter Wrenn 2023-06-15

Trump got indicted; Kevin McCarthy ripped Biden for turning the Justice Department into a ‘weapon’ to sink the man running against him; Trump, sheepishly, said in an ad, “I’m an innocent man.” Biden fired back, denied he ever told the Justice Department what to do when it came to indicting Trump then, raising his eyebrows,…

Read More

Pence’s Question

By Carter Wrenn 2023-06-14

The words Mike Pence said were powerful but the way he said them was mild – he sounded like a man walking through a park, staring up at the sky, talking about a cloudy day. Pence told about Trump telling him to throw out Biden’s Electoral College votes on January 6: ‘President Trump demanded that…

Read More

For Our Schools: Mo Green

By Gary Pearce 2024-04-18

A teacher I know, who happens to be our daughter Maggie Pearce Dill, said it better…

Read More

The Least Harm

By Carter Wrenn 2024-04-17

Siena College took a poll, Biden crept up, gaining 4 points: Trump 45%, Biden 44%. The…

Read More

Post-Christian America

By Carter Wrenn 2024-04-16

‘8 in 10 Americans Say Religion Is Losing Influence in Public Life,’ the headline roared. The…

Read More