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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Boehner’s Forgotten Promise

By Carter Wrenn April 11, 2011

The press – from CBS News to Human Events – has been singing House Speaker John Boehner’s praises as the conqueror of Barack Obama and Harry Reid – the Speaker they say ‘out-fought,’ ‘out-smarted’ and ‘out-negotiated’ the Democrats. (Whoever heard of out-negotiating a Democrat?)   Meantime, oddly,  not a word has been said about Speaker Boehner’s forgotten…

Pardoning General Lee

By Carter Wrenn April 11, 2011

There are a lot of wonderful stories and legends about the Civil War and here’s one: In 1865 Lincoln climbed the gangplank to a warship and sailed down the Chesapeake Bay to City Point (near Petersburg) to visit General Grant and, by then, it was clear to anybody but a blind-man General Lee couldn’t hold…

Editorial Page Censors

By Gary Pearce April 11, 2011

It’s hard to understand a newspaper endorsing censorship. But that’s what the Greensboro News & Record did this weekend.   An editorial Saturday endorsed a bill before the legislature that would block all political robocalls. The editorial thundered that, not only are the calls “annoying,” but – horror of horrors – “under constitutional free speech…

We Need a Few More…

By Carter Wrenn April 9, 2011

Professor Cary Nelson, who looks more like a woodsman with his fulsome beard than the head of the American Association of University Professors, made a speech at Duke the other day and gave a dire warning American universities are in decline and in need of saving.   What exactly is the universities’ problem?   Not…

Decisive Action…Washington Style

By Carter Wrenn April 8, 2011

Nothing’s given and nothing’s certain but it sure looks like the government is not going to close down at midnight – instead, it looks like President Obama and the Democrats have won their fight with John Boehner and company.   Congress is staring a $1.5 trillion deficit (and a $3.5 trillion budget) in the eye.…

Wolves and Sheep

By Carter Wrenn April 8, 2011

We’re about to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the April morning in 1861 when a hot-head (some would say fool) in Charleston pulled the lanyard on a cannon and started what old southern maiden aunts used to delicately call ‘The Late Unpleasantness.’   A lot’s been said and written about why we ended up fighting…

More Stormy Weatherly

By Gary Pearce April 8, 2011

I got a nice email from Keith Weatherly thanking me for posting his response to my blog. So I almost feel guilty extending this matter.   But I heard from three different TAPsters in response to Keith’s response. And, you understand, my day goes much more easily when I let other people do the work.…

More on Concealed Handguns…

By Carter Wrenn April 7, 2011

After passing new laws making it legal to carry concealed handguns in bars and restaurants and holding a ‘how to get a concealed handgun permit class’ at the State Legislature it would seem by now House Speaker Thom Tillis and company would have passed enough new gun laws to rest for awhile – but not…

For President…

By Carter Wrenn April 7, 2011

Good Lord! This is truly hair-curling.   NBC News and the Wall Street Journal have taken a poll and real estate developer turned reality show star Donald Trump is in second place in the Republican Primary for President.   It’s enough to shake your faith in democracy – almost a fifth of the Republican Primary…

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…