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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Standards of The Times

By Gary Pearce September 24, 2009

I’m a big fan of The New York Times. It’s still the best newspaper going. But sometimes I wonder what happened to “All The News That’s Fit to Print.”   Like last Sunday, when the Times ran a front-page story on the John Edwards saga.   Must be something big, right? There was the page-one…

Once Upon a Time in New York

By Carter Wrenn September 23, 2009

Here’s a strange tale straight out of the North Country of New York State.   The liberals in the Democratic Party absorb modern values like the air they breathe. Their belief in the Modern State is absolute. Their faith in diversity and pluralism is written in stone. Their doubt is nonexistent.   To a Republican…

Where do you Stand Beverly?

By Carter Wrenn September 22, 2009

If anyone’s wondering why Governor Perdue’s popularity is languishing at political rock bottom the answer may be zigging and zagging.   Governor Perdue was for budget cuts, then she was against budget cuts.  She told the legislature to raise taxes, any taxes, it didn’t matter to her which; then she blasted legislators for raising the…

Giddy GOP

By Gary Pearce September 22, 2009

A Democratic friend who was in Washington recently reports that Republicans there are “giddy.” They’re convinced they have Obama and the Democrats on the run, certain they’re finally headed for a big election.   But they may have miscalculated. The election is next year, not this year.   And they may be overreaching. Especially if…

Republican Death Panels

By Gary Pearce September 21, 2009

Sometimes Democrats are too logical. They forget that communication is mostly emotional.   Like health care “death panels.” Democrats need to get off the defensive and turn the issue into political death for Republicans.   A Harvard Medical School study says 45,000 Americans die every year because they don’t have insurance.   People will gladly…

The Surprising Congressman Jones

By Gary Pearce September 18, 2009

Walter Jones Jr. always surprises me.   I first met him in 1977, when he was Governor Hunt’s “eastern North Carolina representative.” It was understood that he was hired as a favor to his father, Congressman Walter Jones, and that young Walter was preparing to take his father’s seat eventually.   That was no surprise.…

Picture This

By Gary Pearce September 16, 2009

Imagine that the shoe was on the other foot – or the shout came from the other side of the aisle.   Imagine this: President Bush gives a speech about reforming Social Security. He says we should adopt a partial privatization plan. And he vows that no older American will lose any of their Social…

They’re Back

By Gary Pearce September 16, 2009

My son James has an intriguing theory about Barack Obama’s September Slumps.   Candidate Obama had one last year. John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin had shaken up the race, and she had not yet imploded. Nor had the economy. The polls were tied. Democrats were in a panic.   This year, President Obama had…

The Internet Strikes Again

By Carter Wrenn September 15, 2009

Hardly a Democrat has a doubt the Internet has become a force majeure in politics; and if any Republican had any doubts take a look at what’s happened to Representative Joe Wilson Congressman Wilson was cruising to reelection in a Republican District when he called out, “You lie!” on national TV – then overnight a…

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…

Faith in Politics

By Gary Pearce March 10, 2026

Jim Hunt would like James Talarico winning the Democratic primary in Texas. Like Talarico, the late…