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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A Hissy Fit

By Carter Wrenn December 23, 2009

A fellow’d rather be wrestling a swamp full of alligators than to be in the new School Board Chairman Ron Margiotta’s shoes. The board’s only met twice and Margiotta’s already been ripped and torn by our local up in arms, mad as Comanche liberals.   What Margiotta’s done to get local liberals upset is trampling…

Cheap Shot Cal

By Carter Wrenn December 23, 2009

Young Cal Cunningham seems to have a future in politics or, rather, he may be a real politician – example his latest email; he urgently writes:   “I can’t believe it. This morning Senator Richard Burr voted against funding our troops…as hundreds of Marines at Camp Lejeune held tearful farewells…as they prepared to ship out…

Merry Christmas

By Gary Pearce December 23, 2009

I’m going to take a few days off from blogging to enjoy Christmas with my family at Nags Head. Along with our two dogs, my 90-year-old mother-in-law, visits with my mother and my new stepfather and my 106-year-old grandmother (that’s no misprint; she’s 106), various in-laws, much food and cheer and – if my brother-in-law…

Political Stories

By Carter Wrenn December 22, 2009

I guess no one in Raleigh has spent more time pouring over a the lore of North Carolina politics than Rob Christensen and if you want to read the best stories about our politicians’ foibles go to the bookstore and buy his book, The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics.   When the new school board…

$200,000 versus $2.5 Million

By Carter Wrenn December 22, 2009

Down at the Charlotte Observer they’re lamenting – editorially – about the state using no bid contracts to buy $200,000 in equipment from Senate Democratic Leader Tony Rand’s company. (They also point out Governor Perdue, former Governor Easley, the former Secretary of Transportation and the former head of the Division of Motor Vehicles all own…

An Attitude Adjustment

By Carter Wrenn December 22, 2009

It turns out the eminence grise behind the $30 million no-bid contract to Prodigy Corporation (whose owners – Ramzi Abuldhai and Rich Admanj – were found guilty of patent stealing, went bankrupt and then were accused of transferring millions out of the bankrupt company to hide their assets from creditors) is Secretary Lanier Cansler’s aide…

31 Million Reasons

By Gary Pearce December 22, 2009

President Obama and the Democrats are doing a better job ramming health-care reform through the Senate than explaining it.   They should try this message: 31 million.   That’s the number of uninsured Americans who will get health insurance over the next decade because of the bill. That’s not Democratic rhetoric. That’s from the nonpartisan…

Capital Potty-Break Putsch?

By Gary Pearce December 22, 2009

Are Washington Republicans learning from Wake County Republicans?   Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, a leading opponent of the health-care reform bill, said Sunday: “What the American people should pray is that somebody can’t make the vote.”   Democrats protested that Coburn was wishing misfortune on a Senator.   Maybe Coburn was just hoping that…

Politics Getting Stranger

By Carter Wrenn December 21, 2009

With the State Board of Elections and a Federal Grand Jury investigating Mike Easley, and the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission asking questions about Tony Rand manipulating penny stocks Democrats can’t catch a break — and now a state Grand Jury has found probable cause Senator R.C. Soles, one of the Democratic old bulls…

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…