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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Mitt Broccoli

By Gary Pearce January 4, 2012

Mitt Romney is like political broccoli: Republicans may have to swallow him, but they still don’t like the taste.   On CNN last night, James Carville cut through all the clutter and chatter with this dead-on analysis of what Iowa means:   – Romney will be the Republican presidential nominee.   – A lot of…

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The Year of the Negative Ad

By Gary Pearce January 3, 2012

I begin this new year by publicly thanking the U.S. Supreme Court for all it has done to make 2012 the Year of the Negative Ad.   The high court’s bold, wise Citizens United decision already has claimed one victim – and an appropriate one: Newt Gingrich. But the best is yet to come.  …

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How to Pick the God to Give Thanks to..

By Carter Wrenn January 3, 2012

A couple of years ago the small piedmont town of King, North Carolina landed in the soup because the ACLU or someone got into a dither over the town flying a ‘Christian Flag’ over the local Veterans Memorial.   Now, they’ve come up with a solution. Here’s how it works: Each December the town collects…

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Polls and Guesses

By Carter Wrenn January 2, 2012

NBC News and Marist University have released an 11th hour poll in Iowa – in the last four weeks 19% of the voters have switched candidates, almost half going to Rick Santorum with most of the rest splitting between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.     Ballot Change Romney 23% +4 Paul 21% +2 Santorum 15%…

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The Democrats File a Dud

By Carter Wrenn December 31, 2011

When the Democrats sued the Republicans over redistricting I thought we might be treated to see a bit of grand political theatre with Republicans arguing for the Voting Rights Act (which they hate) and Democrats arguing against it (even though they’ve been in love with it for four decades).   It’s a disappointment but no…

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Burr for VP?

By Gary Pearce December 31, 2011

After Senator Richard Burr and former Senator Elizabeth Dole endorsed Mitt Romney, a reporter asked: Do endorsements matter? Answer: Not to voters, but definitely to politicians and reporters.   No voter who is torn between, say, Romney and Newt Gingrich will think: “Gee, I don’t know who to vote for. So I’ll just vote for…

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Reshuffling

By Gary Pearce December 30, 2011

This headline should strike fear in us: “State government reorganizes, seeking more efficiency.”   Pardon my cynicism, but I’ve seen this movie before. Every administration in Washington and every state capital promises to reinvent, reorganize and rethink government.   Now, Rob Christensen reports in the N&O that North Carolina is scrambling the bureaucratic eggs again. This…

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Incompetence Rewarded

By Gary Pearce December 30, 2011

Just as the N.C. Department of Agriculture gets new responsibilities, we find out it bungled its current duties.   Lynn Bonner reports in the N&O:   “The state Agriculture Department failed to fine propane plants, dispensing sites and other facilities that mishandled the highly flammable gas, putting the public at risk and costing public schools…

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Blind Dumb Luck…

By Carter Wrenn December 30, 2011

A week ago, I thought, It’s too farfetched – Rick Santorum rising in the polls in Iowa would be like blind dumb luck or lightning striking.   All year with pure steadfastness a quarter of the Republican voters have stuck by Mitt Romney though thick and thin. But they’ve been the only thing steadfast in…

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Going Too Far

By Carter Wrenn February 3, 2025

Cheeks round, pudgy fingers fumbling, Ellmer took a newspaper article out of his briefcase, pushed it…

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Dividing Line

By Gary Pearce February 3, 2025

Trump has done America a big favor: in just two weeks, he’s drawn a bright line…

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A Show

By Carter Wrenn January 31, 2025

Addison McDowell worked for Ted Budd, worked as a lobbyist, 31 years old ran for Congress,…

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