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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Pachyderms

By Carter Wrenn October 24, 2013

The Pachyderms, or Supreme Republican Leaders in Washington, have a natural animus to Democrats – but, these days, who they dislike even more is Ted Cruz and Tea Partiers.   It’s time Ted Cruz, one Pachyderm snorted in the newspaper, started acting like an adult.   Talking about Senator Mike Lee, another added, He’s so…

Cooped Up

By Gary Pearce October 23, 2013

Roy Cooper has made strong moves to clear the 2016 Democratic primary field for Governor. But he also may be putting a big obstacle in his path.   The AG is adamant that he can go into court and defend Republican-supported laws on voter identification and same-sex marriage, even though he adamantly opposes those laws.…

Prepare for the Worst

By Carter Wrenn October 23, 2013

Every now and then Gary and I venture out of our respective sanctuaries to journey out into the broader world and, just the other day, we meandered all the way across Raleigh to speak to a very nice group of folks about politics (from our different perspectives).   And, sure enough, during the meeting a…

Error Message

By Gary Pearce October 22, 2013

For a year we’ve heard how the digital geniuses in the Obama campaign demolished Mitt Romney. Now they can’t make the website work for the biggest thing in his administration?   This might say something about the difference between campaigns and governing – or between the private sector and the public sector. Government IT programs…

Who Won?

By Carter Wrenn October 21, 2013

The post-mortem’s are rolling in from the wise heads in Washington over the government shutdown and the debt ceiling votes and their verdict is unanimous: Ted Cruz was crushed. The Tea Party was annihilated.   But all these Washington pundits may be sailing right past one subtle fact.   Heritage Action and Club for Growth…

Civility or Civil War?

By Gary Pearce October 21, 2013

Don’t spike the ball too early, Democrats. The Tea Party may be a taste of what’s ahead for our party.   Last weeks’ Armageddon – or maybe, “Armadebtaggon” – looks now like a disaster for the GOP. The episode turned Americans and many Republicans against the Cruz crusaders.   But the Republican civil war may…

Civility or Civil War?

By Gary Pearce October 21, 2013

Don’t spike the ball too early, Democrats. The Tea Party may be a taste of what’s ahead for our party.   Last weeks’ Armageddon – or maybe, “Armadebtaggon” – looks now like a disaster for the GOP. The episode turned Americans and many Republicans against the Cruz crusaders.   But the Republican civil war may…

Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation

By Gary Pearce October 17, 2013

A point of personal privilege.   We lost a bright light when we lost Jamie Kirk Hahn six months ago. Now, the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation has been established to honor her life and continue the work she cared about. Hundreds of friends, colleagues, family members and even people who barely knew Jamie have made…

Blindness

By Carter Wrenn October 16, 2013

Back in the throes of winter the State Auditor audited the North Carolina Medicaid Department and reported it had the highest administrative costs of just about any state Medicaid Department around – which sure sounded right because, as just about everyone knows, North Carolina’s Medicaid program has been a bollixed mess for years.   But…

Another School Study? Yes.

By Gary Pearce March 19, 2026

Some progressives groaned when Governor Josh Stein announced a bipartisan “Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education”…

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…