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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Correction

By Gary Pearce March 1, 2012

An eagle-eyed reader caught a typo on my blog “The Democratic Field” on the governor’s race. The first paragraph should have read:   “Dan Blue’s decision NOT to run didn’t surprise many Democrats. They had seen him do this dance before.” I had left out “not.”   As an old copy editor, I’m embarrassed. Not.…

Old WASP Men

By Carter Wrenn March 1, 2012

My cousin Spencer sat down, opened the newspaper, stared at the headline and landed in a world where old white WASP’s (like him) are dinosaurs.   Being a historian by avocation Spencer set about studying the collapse of WASPdom; at first he figured immigration (not modern immigration but old-fashioned immigration back in the 1820’s and…

Is Walter Dalton Dull? is That Bad?

By Gary Pearce March 1, 2012

In almost every any conversation about the Democratic governor’s race, somebody says something like: “Walter Dalton is a nice guy, but …. “   What follows “but…” is generally a variation of, well … “dull.” Not “dull” as in “not bright.” But “dull” as in “not exciting.” You’d think his name is Walter Dullton.  …

The Democratic Field

By Gary Pearce February 29, 2012

Dan Blue’s decision to run didn’t surprise many Democrats. They had seen him do this dance before.   Bob Etheridge’s decision to run did surprise a few. They think he is hurt by the “loser” tag, the “who are you?” video and consequent difficulties raising money. But he’s ahead in the polls, so why not…

More on Ayn Rand Grant

By Gary Pearce February 28, 2012

The John William Pope Foundation took issue with my recent blog “Reading Ayn Rand.” I’m always flattered that the Pope people read my blogs and think they’re important enough to take issue with, so I’m happy to post their comments. Note, however, that there is nothing here to change my basic point: The best way…

Will NC Decide GOP Race?

By Gary Pearce February 28, 2012

I hope North Carolina Republicans get to do this year what North Carolina Democrats did in 2008: decide their party’s presidential race.   Obama clinched the nomination when he won North Carolina’s primary, according to none less than the late Tim Russert of NBC.   So I’m pulling for Rick Santorum to win tonight –…

‘Real’ Christians

By Gary Pearce February 27, 2012

“Republicans being against sex is not good. Sex is popular.” – Republican strategist Alex Castellanos   A long, hard-fought presidential nominating race doesn’t hurt Republicans by leaving them divided. They’ll unite against President Obama. No, it hurts with voters in the middle.   First there’s this obsession about whether President Obama is “real” Christian. Franklin…

Santorum’s Contraception Obsession

By Gary Pearce February 24, 2012

Rick Santorum, who wants to take America back to 1900, takes me back to 1984.   That was the year of the Hunt-Helms race. In the dying days, we were behind in the polls – and desperate. With the help of (believe it or not) Dick Morris, we came up with a bomb to blow…

Why Fool Around…with Lt. Governor

By Carter Wrenn February 23, 2012

Talk about manna from heaven, Linda Coleman must be thanking her lucky stars – the State Employees’ Union just announced it’s going to spend $1.8 million to elect her and defeat Eric Mansfield in the Democratic Primary for Lt. Governor.   The State Employees’ Union has charged into Super PAC land with a passion but…

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…

Enough is Enough

By Gary Pearce March 11, 2026

Exactly 80 years ago, in 1946, Republicans took control of Congress with a simple message: “Had…