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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Rick Perry – Off and Running

By Carter Wrenn August 18, 2011

During Governor Rick Perry’s announcement he opined he loves America and loves Texas and loves the U.S. Army and loves South Carolina with its early Primary and I thought, Yes – but where do you stand on raising the debt ceiling?   Governor Perry’s maiden voyage into Presidential politics is being hailed as a grand…

Tillis and the Gay Marriage

By Gary Pearce August 18, 2011

Speaker Thom Tillis again shows signs of being soft (if you’ll pardon the term) on gay marriage.   According to the Charlotte Observer, Tillis was pressed at a town meeting this week about the proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.   “Can you explain to us why you’re squandering taxpayer resources on this…

Michele and Newt

By Carter Wrenn August 17, 2011

At the Iowa debate, without blushing, Tim Pawlenty described himself an ‘Effective, Tested, Conservative Leader’ – two days later he was out of the Presidential race. So much for the power of slogans. This election folks are asking, Where’s the beef?   On the other hand, Newt Gingrich breathed a real spark into his flagging…

Jobs and Debt

By Gary Pearce August 17, 2011

The most overused political cliché today is that Washington is wasting time talking about deficits and debt when it should be talking about jobs.   But there’s another political cliché that matters here: He who defines the debate wins the race.   By that measure, Republicans are hammering President Obama and the Democrats. And it’s…

Two Story Outhouse

By Carter Wrenn August 17, 2011

Sometimes a picture’s worth a thousand words; this came in over the transom in an email.   ————————————–   Two Story Outhouse I can’t even think of anything to add to this… Words fail me! This picture is worth 10,000 of them.     Yep!!! This pretty much says it all. Needs no additional comments!!!

Tata’s Surprise

By Gary Pearce August 17, 2011

When I read this morning about Tony Tata’s school-assignment plan, I recalled what one supporter of the diversity policy told me after meeting Tata earlier this year: “I don’t think this school board knows what they’ve got.” Tata seemed much more progressive than the board’s Republican majority.   Perhaps the majority was seduced – and…

Who Needs a Super-Committee?

By Gary Pearce August 16, 2011

We already had one: the commission chaired by Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson. Here’s a link to their report, The Moment of Truth: Report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.   Since Bowles is a straight shooter and Simpson a plain speaker, I was curious what they say about taxes, which appears…

Bev and Barack

By Gary Pearce August 16, 2011

From a message standpoint, Governor Perdue is stronger now than President Obama.   The New York Times Sunday captured the White House’s dilemma: combat or compromise? The story said:   “As the economy worsens, President Obama and his senior aides are considering whether to adopt a more combative approach on economic issues, seeking to highlight…

The Camera Shifts

By Gary Pearce August 15, 2011

This is how it’s going to be for the next 14 months. Last week, the hot political story was Democrats mad at President Obama. Now, the story is his would-be opponents – especially Romney, Perry and Bachmann. And therein lies a lesson.   Here’s what dominated the media/blogosphere chatter this weekend: How weird are Bachmann’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…