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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Worlds Apart

By Gary Pearce January 21, 2011

Call it Colbert World versus Fox World.   That’s where the WakeCounty schools debate is happening today.   This kind of division is nothing new in North Carolina politics. Go back to 1950: It’s been a 60-year war between conservatives (“racists,” as their opponents call them) and progressives (“socialists,” as their opponents call them.)  …

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Cashing In

By Gary Pearce January 20, 2011

Republicans who denounced corruption and pay-for-play in Raleigh are now racing to the trough.   Like locusts, newly minted lobbyists and would-be influence-peddlers are descending on Raleigh. They brag of their access to the new legislative leaders, and they promise to deliver anything and everything to their clients.   How many of them will still…

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“Idiot Bloggers”?

By Gary Pearce January 19, 2011

I’m sure Tom Fetzer wasn’t talking about Carter and me last weekend when he urged North Carolina Republicans to ignore “idiot bloggers.”   But I’m sure he was talking about the idiots who virtually hijacked our blog last year with attacks on Fetzer and other candidates for GOP party chair.   It got so bad…

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Carter’s Advice to Perdue

By Gary Pearce January 18, 2011

Now that the trial lawyers are listening to Carter, maybe Governor Perdue should too.   He posted a blog last week, “Perdue Upside Down,” about her political dilemma. He concluded:   “Perdue has a choice:  She can ignore her other problems and set to work convincing voters that, whatever her flaws, her Republican opposition is…

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Tuning In

By Gary Pearce January 17, 2011

Even if she doesn’t know what it means, Laura Leslie is pioneering the future of journalism in North Carolina.   The long-time Raleigh reporter for WUNC Radio is now the “multimedia statehouse reporter” for WRAL-TV.   Here’s how Laura defined her new job:   “I’ll be on TV a little, but most of my work…

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Tax Bites Media

By Gary Pearce January 14, 2011

How many times have you read stories in the media along these lines: “Tax reform is difficult because special-interest groups always complain when their tax loopholes are threatened”?   Then you’ll enjoy the following email from Randall Gregg of The Raleigh Telegram, president of the Triangle Press Club:   IMPORTANT NOTICE: NC Tax Being Proposed…

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Blood and Tears

By Gary Pearce January 14, 2011

President Obama soared. Sarah Palin bombed. And, of course, John Boehner almost broke down.   Let’s examine all three performances – and the implications.   When even Fox News and Glenn Beck praise him, you know Obama hit a home run. But the most remarkable thing about a remarkable speech was that he had to…

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Power Center

By Gary Pearce January 13, 2011

Forget the politicians in Raleigh. The most powerful person in North Carolina is Bill Johnson.   Under the Duke-Progress merger, Johnson will be CEO of the new company – one of the biggest utilities in the nation and a corporation on the scale of ExxonMobil.   He will be a powerful force not just in…

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Listening to NPR

By Carter Wrenn January 12, 2011

The last two mornings listening to National Public Radio while driving to work has been like being assailed; folks are calling-in mad as hornets and every media pundit is thoroughly morally outraged and they’re all blasting away at the Tea Party, saying overheated political rhetoric caused the shootings in Arizona and Sarah Palin all but…

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Always Wrong

By Carter Wrenn February 7, 2025

It’s a kind of mystery – will hitting Canada and Mexico with tariffs land us in…

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Broken Egg Promise

By Gary Pearce February 7, 2025

Waffle House shows Trump lied – and broke his biggest promise. He promised, “when I win,…

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Who Pays the Price

By Carter Wrenn February 5, 2025

Wiley lifted his cell phone, held it in the air in front of him, pushed a…

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