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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Carville’s Advice to Obama

By Gary Pearce June 25, 2011

James Carville is still one of the smartest and most perceptive people in politics. Most of all, he knows how to get the hay down to where the goats can get it. So it’s worth sharing his advice to President Obama about the economy, courtesy of CNN: Sir, I’m sure the last thing that you…

Lukewarm

By Carter Wrenn June 24, 2011

“To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write…thou art neither cold nor hot…”   Lukewarm seems to be a political watchword up in Washington when it comes to the war in Libya.   The House just voted down legislation giving President Obama the authority to continue the war – so the House is…

Edwards, Again and Again

By Gary Pearce June 24, 2011

Every time there’s a twist or turn in the John Edwards case, I can count on getting a call from a reporter. I’m an accommodating soul – or maybe a publicity hog – so I usually oblige. Truth is, I’d rather stay out of it. But I know they’re looking for a quote from somebody…

Irony

By Carter Wrenn June 24, 2011

Leaning across the table, Eric, who attended Divinity School in Edinburgh, handed the press release from Redistricting Chairmen David Lewis and Bob Rucho to Richard, the intellectual, and said, This reads like a legal brief written by a Harvard lawyer set on explaining no matter how much sinning his clients are doing it’s perfectly fine…

Never in the History of the World

By Carter Wrenn June 23, 2011

Richard pointed to a newspaper article and said, We’ve built schools and hospitals and highways in Afghanistan to buy good will – but it’s backfired. On one project we paid Afghanistan contractors who turned around and gave $5 million to the Taliban.   He went on to explain how a professor at Marine Corps University…

Obama Defines ‘Hostility’

By Carter Wrenn June 23, 2011

President Obama’s spending $10 million a day launching drone attacks on Tripoli and dropping bombs on Qaddafi’s compound, but the President’s just sent Congress a message saying we’re not involved in any ‘hostilities’ in Libya – which means he doesn’t have to worry about the War Powers Act and doesn’t need Congress’ approval to go…

The Politics of War

By Gary Pearce June 23, 2011

President Obama promised last night – after 10 years of war – that America is finally going to do what some people suggested we do in Vietnam: Declare victory and leave.   Nobody will like the comparison, but a lot of Democratic and Republican politicians today put me in mind of George McGovern’s 3 a.m.…

There Will Surely Be A Reckoning

By Carter Wrenn June 22, 2011

The following article about the war in Afghanistan was in the newspaper Saturday: ABOARD A BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN By ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS, Associated Press The Army medics had just dropped off a Marine wounded in a bombing when one reached over and handed me a scribbled note inside the noisy U.S. helicopter.  …

Raleigh, DC?

By Gary Pearce June 22, 2011

Is Raleigh becoming a local copy of Washington’s bitter partisanship and polarization?   Long-time lobbyists say they’ve never before seen the level of anger, acrimony and arrogance that marked the Republicans’ first session.   Some blame the Republicans’ determination to get everything all at once – and get back at anybody who stands in their…

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…