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

Entertaining…

By Carter Wrenn September 27, 2024

Haitians ‘eating cats’ – a rumor born on the internet. Trump heard it. Repeated it. Kamala Harris wore pearl earrings at the debate – another rumor was born: They weren’t earrings they were disguised earpieces. Harris was cheating. Trump heard that rumor too. Repeated it. At a rally Trump quipped, ‘She’s already talking about bringing…

Vance’s Plan

By Carter Wrenn September 25, 2024

Vance’s Plan I read Hillbilly Elegy years ago. Liked it lot. So I’ve been watching J.D. Vance. The other day he did an interview. About the Ukraine war. Trump, Vance said, would sit down with the Russians and Ukrainians and tell them to work out a peaceful settlement, end the war. Vance went on to…

Crazy and Crazier

By Carter Wrenn September 24, 2024

We’ve never seen anything quite like this before – it’s all over the news not just here but around the country: Stories about how Mark Robinson dove into a porn site, posted checkered comments for four years. It’s either the worst smear ever – or it’s true and just plain shocking. Robinson, himself, said it’s…

A Strange Election

By Carter Wrenn September 23, 2024

Republicans love Trump. Democrats hate Trump. Both groups’ votes are set in stone. Swing voters usually decide who to vote for based on issues. But this election they’re heading down a different road. A lot of swing voters side with Trump on the border but, at the same time, vote for Harris. They see Trump…

Reaping What They Sowed

By Gary Pearce September 22, 2024

For decades, North Carolina Republicans have been bottom-feeding. With Mark Robinson, they hit bottom. Since the 1960s, they’ve opposed civil rights, voting rights and equal rights for anyone who suffered discrimination. Since Jesse Helms’ first election to Senate in 1972, they’ve appealed to hate, fear and racism. They’ve trolled the darkest depths of politics. Every…

One More Reason…to Frown

By Carter Wrenn September 20, 2024

. “…I am the one who is going to save the country…” Did George Washington say that? Lincoln? Roosevelt during World War II? No. Trump said it. On Fox News. Last week. Washington and Lincoln never imagined they had the power in their hands to be saviors. But Trump’s cut from a different bolt of…

Another Election About Character

By Carter Wrenn September 18, 2024

Josh Stein’s got a second ad with no one in it talking but Mark Robinson. Stein scrolls one question across the screen – Is this who we want to be governor? – then shows Robinson making speeches, growling: “I got them AR-15’s in case the government gets too big for its britches… cause I’m going…

An Odd Thing

By Carter Wrenn September 16, 2024

Trump got down to brass tacks, posting: There will be no more debates. Harris baited Trump, poked him saying people walked out of his rallies bored – Trump took the bait, the debate rolled downhill. Later, standing in the ‘Spin Room,’ Trump cooed he’d won the debate. But how often does a politician win a…

Blue NC?

By Gary Pearce September 16, 2024

Kamala Harris rode a post-debate wave into North Carolina last week. The media should stop asking if she can win the state. Clearly, she can. Even before the debate, polls showed her leading Trump here 49-46. Last March, Trump led President Biden by 5. An eight-point swing is huge in today’s polarized electorate. Then there’s…

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…