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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The GOP’s Lousy State Crop

By Gary Pearce May 27, 2011

A Tapster had these thoughts in response to my blog on the GOP’s lousy crop of presidential candidates:   “Look no further than the uncivil chaos on Jones Street to see weeds, chiggers and worms in the Republican crop there as well. GOP leaders have lost sight of their promised “jobs/economy” focus, and have let…

Sarah Palin, the Movie

By Gary Pearce May 26, 2011

A New York Times story reporting that Sarah Palin is moving toward running for President has this intriguing paragraph: “The drumbeat intensified on Tuesday night when the conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon was quoted on RealClearPolitics, a political news site, as saying that he was releasing a feature film he made with Ms. Palin’s acquiescence…

Please Make a Deal

By Gary Pearce May 26, 2011

Please spare us. Put us out of our misery. Don’t make us go through a months-long courtroom regurgitation of all the tawdry details of John Edwards’ campaigns, marriage and affair.   Especially those of us who had anything to do with Edwards getting to where he could do so much damage and bring so much…

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…

Political Shots Fired

By Gary Pearce April 28, 2026

The political sniping began even as chaos still reigned at the White House Correspondents Dinner. My…

Obama 48-Trump 39

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2026

A new nationwide poll shows that, if they could run against each other in 2028, Barack…

“Conservative Successes”?

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2026

Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…