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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Blame the Republicans

By Gary Pearce June 4, 2010

The White House needs to go on offense on the Gulf oil spill.   Democrats, all too often, are weenies when it comes to political combat. They want to be fair, see all sides and over-intellectualize.   It’s time for a go-for-the-gut message: Blame the Republicans.   Here’s how it goes:   This all started…

X Factors

By Gary Pearce June 3, 2010

X factors are the spice of politics – and the bane of political operatives.   X factors are the unexpected events that disrupt the best-laid plans of campaign consultants and political consultants, who are the world’s greatest control freaks.   The classic X factor was the economic collapse that decided the 2008 presidential election by…

Grasping for Negatives

By Gary Pearce June 2, 2010

I had my hopes up. For a few minutes, I thought the Senate primary was going to get down, dirty and negative – just the way I like them.   Wednesday morning, Cal Cunningham’s campaign sent out a breathless email denouncing a “negative letter the Marshall campaign just sent to many of our supporters, attacking…

The Lost Ark

By Carter Wrenn June 2, 2010

I reckon there’s no doubt the folks showing up at Tea Party rallies have the politicians in Washington – both Republican and Democrat – all shook up but, at the same time, I’ve got a feeling the Tea Partiers may be facing a hard lesson of their own:  That sometimes it’s the fellow sitting in…

Broke

By Gary Pearce June 2, 2010

Oil still gushes into the Gulf of Mexico, courtesy of BP – “Broken Pipe.” So many dollars, debt and deficits gush out of Washington that the country looks broke.   Even Al and Tipper broke up.   This is a scary scenario for President and Obama and the Democrats (except for the Gore split). Nothing…

Cloud Cuckoo Land

By Carter Wrenn June 1, 2010

Last week on his Facebook page, Raleigh Congressional candidate Bill Randall boldly challenged his readers: “Do not read the following if you are not willing to face this challenge head-on. Is there a remnant out there who aren’t willing to give up? This great Republic must be preserved.”   Well, naturally, I clicked on the…

Getting His Story All Tangled Up

By Carter Wrenn May 31, 2010

In a way Bill Randall was clever, taking a fifty year old document, Stan Evans’ ‘Sharon Statement,’ renaming it and posting it on his website as his own ‘Charter of Principles’ as if he’d written it.   After all, it worked for almost a year – until last week when Randall got caught red-handed.  …

In Praise of Campaign Money

By Gary Pearce May 31, 2010

 It seems to be accepted truth today that all money in political campaigns is inherently evil. Let me offer a contrary view, thanks to Ferrel Guillory   Ferrel is the ever-wise director of Program on Public Life at the UNCCenter for the Study of the American South.   At breakfast the other day, we were…

Slick

By Gary Pearce May 28, 2010

The Gulf oil spill set off massive responses. No, not the ones to stop the leak or clean up the spill. The political responses: Republicans and the media trying to stick the gooey blame on President Obama – and the White House, to keep it away.   Sarah (“Drill, baby, drill”) Palin says the spill…

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…