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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Recipe For Trouble

By Gary Pearce February 28, 2011

You can see this ad coming:   “Unemployment is at double-digits. The state has a $3 billion budget deficit. North Carolinians have a hard time making ends meet. What did Governor Perdue do? She hired a new chef for the Executive Mansion. Salary; $76,000.”   Gulp.   Yes, the Governor must entertain. Dignitaries must be…

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Pie in the Sky

By Gary Pearce February 26, 2011

The most recent Elon Poll showed why politics is hard. Asked whether they support higher taxes or job cuts to balance the state budget, a majority of North Carolinians just said no.   They don’t want either.   No, that’s not logical. But voters don’t have to be logical.   This dilemma was captured recently…

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Not Cairo

By Gary Pearce February 25, 2011

Overheated and over-caffeinated cable blowhards have been blowing hard about the amazing parallels they see between protests in Madison, Wisconsin and protests in the Middle East.   From the right: dangerous anarchists on both continents are threatening the very foundations and stability of society.   From the left: courageous patriots are standing up for their…

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A Stunning Stat

By Gary Pearce February 24, 2011

Ferrel Guillory, director of the Program on Public Life at the UNC J-School, gave me a stunning statistic from a report he worked on. It sums up how suddenly and dramatically the 2008 economic crisis hit North Carolina:   “From April, 2008 to February, 2009 (a ten-month period), the state unemployment rate rose from 5…

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The “Pryor Punch”

By Gary Pearce February 23, 2011

Last week, a reader – clearly crazed by alcohol or the legislature, or both – suggested a new cocktail named for the Governor: the “Bevtini.” (See Gov on Ice, below.)   Now he submits a libation in honor of intense, energetic, often frenetic Rep. Pryor Gibson, who is leaving the House to work for Perdue:…

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The Voters’ View

By Gary Pearce February 23, 2011

A focus group this week brought into clear focus the opportunities and challenges facing North Carolina Democrats and Republicans.   A couple of participants said they’re feeling more optimistic about the direction of the state. Why?   “For the first time in a hundred years, we have a legislature that understands where the revenue comes…

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Power Plays

By Gary Pearce February 22, 2011

These aren’t lofty matters of principle. They’re raw, partisan power politics.   In Wisconsin and New Jersey, the battles are between Republican governors and public employee unions.   In North Carolina, the battles are over voter IDs and – soon – redistricting.   Even Democrats who don’t like public employee unions see unions – and…

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This Year’s Tea Party?

By Gary Pearce February 21, 2011

The seeds for the 2010 election were sown in August 2009 by the raucous public protests that morphed into the Tea Party movement.   Will the public employee protests in Wisconsin sow the seeds for the 2012 election?   Democrats hope so. Public employees are a big part of the party’s constituency. Democratic office-holders around…

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A Healthy Debate

By Gary Pearce February 18, 2011

Set aside the predictable posturing and apocalyptic doom-saying from both sides. North Carolina’s budget debate is a debate we need.   Governor Perdue’s proposed budget is a classic North Carolina Democratic progressive budget. It’s a balance of program cuts, higher revenues and protection for education. It’s essentially the same approach that Democratic governors and legislators…

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Education Governor

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2025

With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North…

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The N&O Story

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2025

Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful newspaper: The News & Observer. Everybody…

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How Democrats Win Again

By Gary Pearce March 10, 2025

The shouting, sign-waving and cane-wielding by congressional Democrats at the State of the Union isn’t a…

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