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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Super Irony

By Gary Pearce December 23, 2011

Democrats have fretted over the emergence of Super PACs, fearing that their big money and negative ads will help Republicans. But, so far, Republicans are the leading victims of Super PACs.   Newt Gingrich has been savaged by them. Mitt Romney feigns innocence while his millionaire friends dump a truckload of negatives on Newt. One…

Looking for a Miracle

By Carter Wrenn December 22, 2011

Since last spring, like hopeful school girls, conservatives have been falling in and out of love with Michele Bachmann, with Rick Perry, with Herman Cain. Now we’re asking breathlessly, Is Newt the one? – followed by a harsher question, asked with a hint of desperation, Is there anyone else?   It wasn’t hard for Newt…

A Christmas Gift

By Gary Pearce December 22, 2011

On behalf of all Democrats, I thank Speaker Boehner and House Republicans for their unexpected and unbelievably generous Christmas gift.   Of course, their gift for the country as a whole is more like a lump of coal. They want to give 160 million Americans a tax increase, cut off unemployment benefits and nip the…

The New Leader in Iowa…

By Carter Wrenn December 21, 2011

Newt Gingrich’s ship seems to have landed on the rocks – nationally, the Gallop poll reports, Speaker Gingrich has plummeted from 37% to 26% of the vote and in Iowa the news is even worse: The latest poll shows Newt’s dropped out of first place.   With so much bad news piling up Newt let…

Newt and the Judges

By Carter Wrenn December 21, 2011

He’s fed up with elitist judges, Newt says, so as President he’s just going to ignore their rulings. And what’s more, he adds, as a historian he knows that Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln would agree with him.   Of course, the press pounced, immediately, asking, So, if President Newt can ignore court rulings –…

Republican Waves

By Gary Pearce December 21, 2011

If you looked at a chart tracking the Republican presidential race, you would see a series of waves rising and falling.   First you’d see the Michelle Bachman wave rise and fall. Then the Rick Perry wave – again, rise and fall. Same for Herman Cain.   Now Newt Gingrich has been on the rise…

Faison’s Face-off

By Gary Pearce December 20, 2011

Let me get this straight.   According to Rob Christensen’s story today, Bill Faison ran for Democratic state party chair last year at the request of Governor Perdue.   Two possibilities: One, Faison is an ingrate for publicly questioning whether Perdue will or should run for reelection – or, two, Perdue cannily spotted a potential…

Perdue’s Prospects

By Gary Pearce December 19, 2011

Governor Perdue had to hate reading the N&O this morning.   First there’s a front-page story regurgitating her flight problems, with a boost from Democratic scold Joe Sinsheimer. Then Dome quotes a professor from his perch at UVA opining about her tough path to reelection.    This is why Democrats are wringing their hands about…

Newt vs. Newt

By Gary Pearce December 16, 2011

A Republican friend says there is only one person who can beat Newt Gingrich now: Newt Gingrich. And he’s perfectly capable of it.   Tom Fetzer’s decision to lead Newt’s campaign in North Carolina shows how unhappy conservatives are with one-time frontrunner Mitt Romney.   Mitt’s just too moderate. And for some Republicans, too Mormon.…

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…