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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Tilting

By Carter Wrenn May 26, 2011

Last election President Barack Obama won huge majorities among ‘early voters’so, naturally, now Republicans want less ‘early voting.’   Of course, no self-respecting legislator is going to put it quite that bluntly.   Representative Bert Jones is an example. He told the press he’s for limiting early voting because it will ‘shorten campaigns.’   Think…

The GOP’s Lousy Crop

By Gary Pearce May 25, 2011

If the Republican Party was a farmer and his crop was the current field of presidential candidates, he’d be losing the farm.   How can that be? How can a party coming off a landslide election sweep, a party consumed by its hatred of President Obama, a party convinced it has the right ideas for…

McCrory vs Perdue: Polls

By Carter Wrenn May 24, 2011

The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation has been studying the polls in the Governor’s race and after adding them all up and averaging them together it’s issued a report saying Pat McCrory leads Governor Perdue 50% to 38% – which is no surprise as the Governor’s been in hot water in one way or another…

The Education of Phil Berger

By Gary Pearce May 24, 2011

Contrary to what some people think, I believe the most powerful weapon in politics isn’t a negative ad. It’s a positive message. And Senator Phil Berger seems to have figured that out.   He realized the Republicans were losing ground by having to defend their education cuts – including laying off teachers. So last week…

A New York Ménage à tois

By Carter Wrenn May 23, 2011

It’s ‘déjà vu’ all over again.   A couple of years ago up in New York they had a Congressional Race where a liberal Democrat was running against a liberal Republican and then a CPA – who’d never run for anything –  jumped in the race as the candidate of the New York Conservative Party and…

Best Commencement Line Ever

By Gary Pearce May 23, 2011

My daughter and her 87 classmates lucked out at their St. Mary’s School Commencement Sunday: Their speaker was Betty Ray McCain.   Betty, a 1950 St. Mary’s Junior College grad, is not only a pioneering example for young women and one of the state’s most accomplished leaders, but also one of the funniest people in…

Editorial Boards

By Gary Pearce May 23, 2011

The CIA has water-boarding. The N&O has editorial-boarding.   I sat in on an N&O editorial board meeting Wednesday that starred Dr. Bill Atkinson from WakeMed (full disclosure: my client) and Dr. Bill Roper from UNC Health Care.   I felt like I was back in a campaign debate.   The N&O story stressed the…

Three Egyptian Mobs

By Carter Wrenn May 20, 2011

The first Egyptian mob chanting and demonstrating a month ago on CNN was out to get rid of Hosni Mubarak and President Obama, figuring the mob was a sign of a ‘fledgling new Democracy’ being born in front of his eyes, gave Mubarak a shove.   The second Egyptian mob about a week ago wanted…

A River in Egypt

By Carter Wrenn May 20, 2011

Like the British Empire before us and the Roman Empire before them we’ve been living high on the hog for so long it’s hard to imagine the good times ending.   But, right now, there are a fair amount of economic prognosticators who say our current Recession isn’t a hiccup or another one of our…

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…