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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More With D.G.

By Gary Pearce June 23, 2010

D.G. Martin again has generously shared his radio time on WCHL (1360AM) with me. He did two more lengthy interviews about my book on Jim Hunt, which will be published in November.   The final part of the program airs tonight at 6 pm. (Another segment aired last night.)   Or you can listen on…

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Naked Confidence

By Gary Pearce June 22, 2010

Elaine Marshall’s campaign has shown a striking level of confidence about today’s runoff.   She said the only way she could lose would be to walk down the street naked.   Yep, that would do it.   And her campaign apparently sent out a communication that sounded like an early declaration of victory.   They…

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Bernie Reeves

By Carter Wrenn June 21, 2010

The first ‘reality moment’ in a political campaign last week belonged to Bob Etheridge; the second belonged to Bill Randall.   Randall, who is locked in a tight runoff with Bernie Reeves, called his first press conference Tuesday and announced – as the cameras rolled – he thought the government and BP had conspired to…

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Renee Ellmers

By Carter Wrenn June 19, 2010

Last week was a heckuva week.   On Monday, Al Lytton – Renee  Ellmers’ campaign manager – and I sat down, racking our brains to figure out how Renee could raise money over the Internet (to match the million odd dollars Bob Etheridge has sitting in his bank account from special interests), then out of…

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The Penniless Primary

By Gary Pearce June 18, 2010

Campaign-finance reformers take heed: the Democratic U.S. Senate primary is what politics would look like without money.   Unexciting, uninspiring and virtually invisible. Plus, virtually no voters.   A campaign without TV ads is essentially a campaign that doesn’t exist. Yes, I know the importance of online communications. But TV is still the most powerful…

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Clueless

By Gary Pearce June 17, 2010

Editorial writers are sometimes accused of occupying an ivory tower. This one from the Greensboro News & Record must live in a soundproof padded cell.   Here’s what he or she wrote yesterday about Bob Etheridge’s video:   “For now, his relatively unknown opponent, Renee Ellmers of Dunn, says she’s not going to take advantage…

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Nuts

By Gary Pearce June 17, 2010

Republicans are determined to save Democrats from electoral disaster this year.   With any luck, the GOP will nominate Tea Partier Bill Randall to run against Brad Miller. Randall distinguished himself this week by speculating that the Gulf Oil spill is a conspiracy between Washington and BP.   Did anybody ask him if 9/11 was…

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No Governor

By Gary Pearce June 16, 2010

President Obama rolled out his biggest weapon yet in his battle to get on top of his spreading oil-slick political crisis: his own oratorical power – and the Oval Office.   He’s making progress, but he’s still in catch-up mode.   Things might have been different if Obama had been a governor instead of a…

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Dirty Tricksters

By Gary Pearce June 16, 2010

While President Obama struggles with a gush of oil, Bob Etheridge struggles with a gush of videos.   It’s the worst close-up since Helen Thomas.   Team Etheridge has to push back. And the best defense is a good offense.   No, there’s no excuse for Etheridge touching – let alone grabbing – the obnoxious,…

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A Democrat to Watch

By Gary Pearce February 10, 2025

No, Trump’s blitzkrieg hasn’t left Democrats hapless, hopeless and rudderless. Here’s one example of the immense…

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Always Wrong

By Carter Wrenn February 7, 2025

It’s a kind of mystery – will hitting Canada and Mexico with tariffs land us in…

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Broken Egg Promise

By Gary Pearce February 7, 2025

Waffle House shows Trump lied – and broke his biggest promise. He promised, “when I win,…

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