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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GOP Lite or Real Dems?

By Gary Pearce July 24, 2014

It’s an argument I’ve heard for 40 years: “Southern Democrats, meet your future: No more Republican lite.”   That’s the headline on a recent article by Bob Moser, Senior Editor at the National Journal. He wrote, “Candidates like (Kay) Hagan are stuck between the past, when Southern Democrats’ recipe for victory involved courting white moderates…

Is the Bear Bored?

By Gary Pearce July 24, 2014

President Obama has taken to slipping the surly bonds of office, going out to Starbucks for a coffee, asking friends to set up late dinners with interesting, intellectually stimulating people (as opposed to the people he deals with in Washington, presumably). When he escapes, he jokes that “The bear is loose.”   Surely, Presidents deserve…

What Do You Read?

By Gary Pearce July 23, 2014

Here’s another example of how two different journals this week reported on the same political story:   “Goodbye to the GOP wave?” The New York Times.   “Odds of a GOP Wave Are Increasing” The National Journal.

Modern Political Debate

By Carter Wrenn July 23, 2014

It sure looks, Richard said politely, like John Boehner could have found something else to sue President Obama over.   Fifty-four times John Boehner and the Republicans have voted to repeal Obamacare so it seemed odd to Richard, a retired businessman, that Boehner was about to sue Obama for not enforcing the Obamacare Employer Mandate.…

If Dan Blue…

By Carter Wrenn July 23, 2014

As soon as Conor the Jessecrat sat down at our regular political dinner he unfolded a newspaper, pointed, and said, There’s a headline to strike terror in every Congressman’s heart. I read ‘Judge Orders Districts Redrawn’ and thought about the half-a-dozen lawsuits in North Carolina about redistricting but it turned out this lawsuit was in…

State for Sale. Cheap!

By Gary Pearce July 22, 2014

Art Pope’s critics often accuse him of “buying the State of North Carolina.” If he did, he got it cheap.   The Washington Post this weekend published its obligatory profile about the mild-mannered retail magnate who became the Superman ruling over North Carolina’s budget, politics and university system.   Two numbers catch your eye.  …

The Uber-Villain

By Carter Wrenn July 22, 2014

No one’s explained why a Malaysian airliner was flying over a war zone but when it was shot down Senator John McCain had no doubt who to blame: Obama. It was, McCain adamantly told Fox News, Obama’s fault because he hadn’t given the Ukrainians more guns.   I reckon McCain figures if the Ukrainians had…

More Coffee

By Gary Pearce July 22, 2014

At breakfast, two of the guys were bemoaning the challenges of life.   Tom, a generous contributor to political candidates, sighed, “Having a politician for a friend is worse than having a child in college.”   A while later, Phil looked up from his paper. “You need new glasses when you’re drawn to a headline…

64 and 48

By Gary Pearce July 21, 2014

They’re not highway numbers, or ages. They are the two big numbers driving North Carolina’s education debate this year.   When you take an eight-miles-high view of the legislature, setting aside the partisan debates and vitriol, the most striking thing is that Republicans are arguing this year over whether to raise teacher pay 5-6 per…

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…