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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Kamala Harris, For the People

By Gary Pearce August 23, 2024

Kamala Harris accomplished three goals in her forceful acceptance speech. She told us who she is. She eviscerated Trump. She proposed a new way forward. All in just 38 minutes, one of the shortest acceptance speeches ever. Trump’s was 90 minutes – a tired, repetitious litany of gripes, grievances and whining. It’s striking what Harris…

“That’s My Dad”

By Gary Pearce August 22, 2024

Gus Walz gave us the most moving moment I’ve ever seen in politics. Tim Walz had just described “the hell that is infertility” that he and his wife Gwen experienced for years before fertility treatments led to the birth of their daughter, now 23. “We named her Hope,” Walz said. “Hope, Gus and Gwen, you…

Trump Dishonors Valor

By Gary Pearce August 20, 2024

Donald Trump and JD Vance are coming to North Carolina to talk about national security Wednesday – a week after Trump disrespected and dishonored recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. CNN reported: “Trump was praising Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson, whom he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom while in office, during remarks at his…

More Silly Politics

By Carter Wrenn August 20, 2024

Just before the election in October of 2008, sitting in my office pollster John McLaughlin opened a poll, said Obama was leading John McCain in North Carolina. No Democrat had won a presidential election in North Carolina in decades. No black man had ever won a statewide race for senator or governor. I shook my…

Which Road is Worse?

By Carter Wrenn August 19, 2024

Sitting at a wide round table in a restaurant a local politician on a tear ended by saying Kamala Harris ‘is dumb as a rock.’ A tall thin man with a rectangular face sitting beside him, glanced at a lady sitting across the table lips pursed, curious, smiled. “Madeline?” Short thick dark hair with wisps…

Kamala’s Joy and Hope

By Gary Pearce August 19, 2024

I’ve been in and around political campaigns for 50 years, and I’m impressed by Kamala Harris’ operation. (Note to punctuation purists: AP uses Harris’ as the possessive, not Harris’s.) She smoothly took over the ship when President Biden stepped aside. She united our fractious party. She picked an all-star running mate in Coach Tim Walz.…

RFK Jr. Hurts Trump

By Gary Pearce August 15, 2024

Republicans may regret wanting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on North Carolina’s presidential ballot. Kennedy swims in the same swamp as Trump. He’s an anti-vaxxer and a one-man conspiracy machine. He’s a MAGA magnet. The Washington Post reports that polls show Kennedy “is pulling significantly more votes from Trump than Harris.” The Post said: “Since the…

The Unexpected Strikes

By Carter Wrenn August 15, 2024

For a year, from the night Trump announced he was running again, Biden’s unpopularity was the bedrock beneath Trump’s feet. He led in poll after poll. Until an unseen hand moved – and Biden got out. The ground shifted beneath Trump’s feet. Now poll after poll shows Trump trailing Kamala Harris. Last week, holding another…

Diversity Wins

By Gary Pearce August 14, 2024

For 16 days, America’s diverse athletic talent lit up the Paris Olympics. Here at home, Vice President Kamala Harris and “Coach” Tim Walz have been lighting up huge, happy and diverse crowds. In sports and politics, our diversity is our superpower. At the games, America’s women – and Black women – stood out. Women won…

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…

Rise and Fall

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2026

A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…