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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At a Loss for Words

By Gary Pearce July 18, 2012

Where was this when I needed it?   TheNew York Times reports that the Obama and Romney campaigns are insisting on the power to review and edit their quotes before journalists can use them. And news outlets go along, including the Times, Bloomberg, the Washington Post, Vanity Fair and Reuters.   The story says: “The…

Romney’s ‘Retroactive Retirement’

By Gary Pearce July 17, 2012

Of all the ridiculous political-spin phrases ever, this one is up there with John Kerry’s “I voted for it before I voted against it.”   It came Sunday from senior Mitt Romney campaign adviser Ed Gillespie.  He was trying to spin his way through CNN’s “State of the Union.” Specifically, he was insisting that Romney…

Richie Rich Romney

By Gary Pearce July 17, 2012

The Obama campaign has drawn blood. For the first time in this campaign, they have their teeth into Mitt Romney. And if he doesn’t escape, his candidacy could bleed to death before he accepts the nomination in Tampa.   Two weeks ago, Romney thought he had Obama trapped – by making him the symbol for…

Bru Cashes In

By Gary Pearce July 16, 2012

Sometimes I’m naïve. I didn’t get why Rep. Harold Brubaker was resigning in the middle of his House term.   He’s been in the legislature since Governor O. Max Gardner’s administration – or something like that. He was Speaker in the 90s. He is one of the most powerful members of the House. His party…

Convention Wisdom

By Gary Pearce July 13, 2012

The mainstream media is obsessed about potential problems with the Democratic convention in Charlotte.   Will labor and liberals protest and boycott? Will Charlotte and the party raise enough money? Was it a good choice in light of Democrats’ problems in North Carolina? Etc., etc.   Get real. Nobody is going to cast their vote…

The Second Most Watched Race…

By Carter Wrenn July 12, 2012

The most watched campaign in North Carolina this fall will be the Presidential race but the second most watched race may not be the Governor’s race – it may be the race between Paul Newby and Sam Ervin for the lone Supreme Court seat.   The way Republicans see it, sooner or later, the Democrats’…

Fracking Out

By Gary Pearce July 12, 2012

Methinks the fracking freakout by Democrats is overwrought and overdone. And Becky Carney need not contemplate hari-kari.   Maybe it’s age. Or maybe it’s that for too many years I’ve heard too many dire warnings about how some legislative action is certain to lead to environmental devastation. It never does.   And every time something…

Partisanship

By Carter Wrenn July 11, 2012

North Carolina’s most famous Democrat, Jim Hunt, ran for statewide office six times and each time gave the liberal Democrat running for President a wide berth – and so did Mike Easley when he ran in 2000 (Al Gore) and 2004 (John Kerry). And no one thought much of it.   But now two Democratic…

LeBron Obama

By Gary Pearce July 11, 2012

President Obama is the LeBron James of politics.   No one else in the game inspires the same passions – pro and con. No one else has the same political skills. No one else can put as many points on the board – for both sides.   For all the talk about Mitt Romney –…

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…

MAGA-gator

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2026

Thom Tillis and Phil Berger fed the MAGA alligator. Then it ate them. Thomas Mills wrote…