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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Sarah Palin

By Carter Wrenn 2008-09-03

Last night, I got Mau Mau-ed on a radio interview by a Democrat who said, Don’t be naïve. You can’t really believe McCain knew Sarah Palin’s daughter was pregnant before he picked her? In fact, I’m inclined to take McCain at his word. But, for one moment, looking at it through that Democrat’s eyes, it…

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Republican Meltdown

By Gary Pearce 2008-09-03

It’s an iron law of politics: Stay out of the way when your opponent is busy destroying himself. So Barack Obama is smart to lay low this week. John McCain’s VP pick shows us what kind of President he would be. He would make rash, risky and reckless decisions. Without waiting for the intelligence reports.…

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Unfair to Criminals

By Gary Pearce 2008-09-03

Many a time I’ve given a reporter a quote that didn’t look so good in print. So I felt for Rep. Melanie Wade Goodwin. The chair of the House committee on campaign finance law, she was expressing doubt about tougher penalties for crooked politicians in the N&O: “We also want to make sure we don’t…

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It’s Not About the Boats

By Gary Pearce 2008-09-03

The North Carolina General Assembly has not necessarily fallen in love with big boats riding down the highways. They just don’t like Mike Easley. That’s what the override of his veto was about. It was one last chance to give a lame duck a swift kick on the way out. Legislators have never liked Easley.…

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Grand Slam

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-29

Barack Obama’s speech was in a big park, and he hit it out of the park. He did three things at once: Delivered the soaring, inspiring rhetoric that Democrats love and Republicans mock Showed middle-class Americans he is one of them Challenged McCain forcefully and directly, without sounding nasty and negative. Expectations were ridiculously high.…

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WRAL’s “Headline Saturday”

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-29

Be sure to turn on the television tomorrow at 7:30 P.M. and check out Carter and I on WRAL’s “Headline Saturday.” We’ll be talking about the Democratic and Republican conventions and, as usual, all things political. Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.

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The Clinton-Slayer

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-28

It was a remarkable scene: Bill and Hillary Clinton sitting up in the stands, watching as Barack Obama took over their Democratic Party. The Clintons stepped aside with good grace. For Bill especially, ceding the spotlight has never been easy. But here is the real lesson of last night: Barack Obama is a tough, canny…

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Shallow Strikes, Again

By Carter Wrenn 2008-08-28

Bev Perdue says it’s terrible, shady, and awful: The Republican Party, Washington branch, is attacking her in ads. President Bush, himself, she says, has taken time off from dealing with Georgia and Iraq to orchestrate the ads – just to be sure she doesn’t get elected (Bev Perdue Committee email, 8/28/08). But there’s one problem:…

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Reality Check

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-28

Political insiders always overestimate how much attention voters are paying to campaigns. Here was my reality check this week. I was talking to a fellow who does some work at my house. He’s a bright guy, a hard worker, successful in his trade, devoted to his family and his dogs. He knows I do something…

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A Simple Question

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-27

Hamas stormed into Israel, killed men, women, and children. Shocked Israelis thought, We’re no longer safe.…

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Plagues

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-26

Plagues have been around since the time of the Pharaohs: What caused the plague that killed…

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Both Sides Now?

By Gary Pearce 2024-03-26

Democratic heads exploded over this story in The News & Observer last week: “The two candidates…

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