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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Money Talks in Virginia

By Gary Pearce November 4, 2013

If Terry McAuliffe wins the Virginia governor’s race, Democrats might want to rethink this campaign finance thing.   Public Policy Polling’s final poll shows McAuliffe winning 50-43. But here are the numbers that caught my eye: McAuliffe leads in fundraising $34.4 million to $19.7 million.   The New York Times reported, “Armed with a much…

Driving Republicans Crazy

By Gary Pearce November 1, 2013

Whatever else it does, Obamacare drives Republicans into a frenzy of hype, hypocrisy, irrationality and overreaction.   Exhibit A: Republicans in Congress are outraged that website glitches prevent Americans from signing up for a program Republicans compare to slavery. Why are they complaining? They should take a cue from George Holding, take a nap and…

It’s the Character, Stupid

By Gary Pearce October 31, 2013

If Democrats want to come back in North Carolina, they need to avoid their usual mistake of thinking it’s all about the issues.   It’s in Democrats’ DNA to do that. We’re issues people. We care a lot about things like Medicaid expansion, Common Core curriculum, growth strategies and infrastructure.   It’s not that voters…

Bailing Out the Enemy

By Gary Pearce October 30, 2013

Carter likes to say that politics is an exercise in human folly and error. Both parties seem set on proving it in Washington.   A few weeks ago, President Obama’s job ratings fell when the news was focused on Syria. But Washington Republicans came to his rescue. They shut down the government. Everybody forgot about…

Trouble Ahead

By Gary Pearce October 29, 2013

What’s the over/under on how many bad headlines and headaches will come from Governor McCrory’s plan to shift job recruitment from the N.C. Department of Commerce to a new “public-private nonprofit corporation”?   The N&O’s Rob Christensen reported that similar partnerships across the country have been criticized for “misuse of taxpayer money, conflicts of interest,…

The Target was Democrats

By Carter Wrenn October 28, 2013

The judge, after I asked about Eric Holder’s lawsuit, grunted and said, Whatever gave you the idea that law and justice are the same thing – the law can be a darn peculiar beast.   Not long ago the Attorney General of the whole United States sued the whole state of North Carolina to put…

Patronage Shocker

By Gary Pearce October 28, 2013

We all are shocked – shocked, I say – that Governor McCrory and the Republican Party are putting political cronies in state jobs. Like that has never happened before.   I’m reminded of the Jim Hunt supporter who wanted to get a state job for a local boy. The Governor’s patronage chief, Joe Pell, asked,…

Obamacare Rx

By Gary Pearce October 25, 2013

Republicans couldn’t defund Obamacare, and Democrats seemingly can’t defend it. Some states (where there’s competition) are seeing lower insurance rates, and some (where Republicans blocked competition) are having sticker shock.   Nobody understands what Obamacare is, but everybody understands a website that won’t work, so we’re obsessing about that.   Maybe we’re overcomplicating this. Maybe…

Going Viral

By Gary Pearce October 24, 2013

Matt Brown did what digital experts would run over their grandmothers to do. He got a half a million people to read his message, and it didn’t cost him a cent.   North Carolina politicians better take notice.   Think about those numbers for a second. A half-million readers. In a state where 4.5 million…

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…