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

Recalculating…

By Gary Pearce June 28, 2012

Well, all the smarty-pants pundits got the Supreme Court decision wrong. So I’ll wait until somebody smart and level-headed explains it.   Meanwhile, politics must go on.   Obama had been looking at a big defeat and stories about a “failed Presidency.” Now Romney and Republicans are trying to make chicken salad out of chickenshit.…

Read More

Bullies

By Gary Pearce June 28, 2012

When you get political power, you feel important. When you feel important, you throw your weight around. When you throw your weight around, you look like a bully.   Like Senators Tom Apodaca and Buck Newton. Whatever the outcome of their Lettergate “witch hunt,” the lasting image will be that of Vicki Stanley, executive assistant…

Read More

Logic

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2012

Over in the General Assembly the legislators want to pass a law that says folks can tote pistols in bars because, they say, whether a customer can take his pistol into the ‘Twist and Shout’ ought to be up to the bar’s owner not the government.   Which sounds fine except…   …the same legislators…

Read More

Dalton’s Strategy

By Gary Pearce June 27, 2012

Walter Dalton’s strategy at the first gubernatorial debate tells you two things: He thinks Pat McCrory can’t take a punch. And he has to dramatically change the contour of the race to win.   Attacking might work. A big reason McCrory lost in 2008 was that he failed to answer the Perdue campaign’s late attack…

Read More

Everyone Has Their Own Point of View

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2012

The Good Lord gave everyone their own way of seeing things but he also gave them the ability to stand in another person’s shoes (or at least to get close enough to where another person’s standing to see what he’s seeing).   But there are exceptions. For instance, when people get into politics. And join…

Read More

Tree’d

By Carter Wrenn June 26, 2012

Senator Tom Apodaca, the last of the old-fashioned Bull Moose in the State Senate, has tree’d Prior Gibson.   Just before the General Assembly voted on the budget a letter landed on legislators’ desks from the Secretary of Transportation saying it was urgent to spend $63 million to build a parkway in Gaston County. Only…

Read More

Waiting for the Doctor

By Gary Pearce June 26, 2012

Right now President Obama is like a patient waiting for the doctor to bring back the test results. And the signs aren’t good.   In fact, it looks like the Supreme Court is going to give his health-care reform a death sentence on Thursday. Talk about “death panels.”   There are three ways this will…

Read More

Low Road at RDU

By Gary Pearce June 25, 2012

A TAPster who apparently is a Frequent (Unhappy) Flier writes:   “Critics of the Raleigh-Durham Airport and its management rolled their eyes last week when the airport authority voted to name a road after the long-time airport director who is finally retiring. “It will be a fitting tribute if the gentleman’s namesake road is torn…

Read More

Talent or Lightning Striking?

By Carter Wrenn June 25, 2012

After two terms in the State House Thom Tillis soared to being the second most powerful politician in Raleigh after the Governor and the oohing and aahing that followed probably wasn’t as lethal (or as likely to turn a fellow’s head) as a blonde whispering in his ear but, still, all that adulation had to…

Read More

The Unknown

By Carter Wrenn March 5, 2025

A legend in politics, with a sneaky streak but a kind heart, Paddy sat down in…

Read More

Spinning Tales

By Carter Wrenn March 3, 2025

Trump growled Zelensky started the Ukraine war. John Bolton said Trump was wrong. Angry, my friend…

Read More

Vanished

By Gary Pearce March 3, 2025

Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and stood up to what he called the “Evil…

Read More