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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Richard Moore’s Revenge

By Gary Pearce 2008-07-01

I’ve been puzzling over why Bev Perdue isn’t doing better in the polls. Now I have a theory: It’s Richard Moore’s fault. Last week I saw one poll that showed Perdue leading Pat McCrory by only two points. The same poll showed Barack Obama only two points behind John McCain in North Carolina. Both Obama…

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Skip’s Gamble

By Carter Wrenn 2008-06-26

House Republican Leader ‘Skip’ Stam is turning thumbs down on North Carolina casting its electoral votes for the candidate for President who wins the popular vote – but it may turn out to be a political gamble that backfires. Last year – when Democrats put electing the President by popular vote on the table –…

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Presidential Campaign Winners and Losers

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-25

Winner: Campaign Symbols Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are holding their Unity Rally in – no kidding – Unity, New Hampshire. Apparently they could not find a place called Change. And Bill Clinton owns the deed to a place called Hope. Loser: Edwards for Veep Elizabeth Edwards publicly questioned whether Obama should have opted out…

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$4 Gas and Obama

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-24

A Republican consultant figures there is a direct relationship between the price of gas and Barack Obama’s vote in North Carolina. He told me he spent four days running numbers on turnout and election models. His conclusion: If gas stays under $4 a gallon, Obama’s maximum vote in the state is 46.5 percent. But if…

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The School Board in a $36 Million Huff

By Carter Wrenn 2008-06-23

The School Board’s shocked, just shocked. And mad. “Who on the Wake County Board of Commissioners,” growls one board member, “Wants the dubious honor of putting Wake County on a downward spiral?” What’s up? The Board asked the County Commissioners to almost double its budget over the next five years – and the Commissioners said…

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Bushed

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-23

2008 must look worse for the Republicans than I thought. At least, they think so. President Bush stole into and out of Raleigh Friday with nary a photo op or video with Pat McCrory, Liddy Dole or any other Republican politician. This is major. I cannot remember the last time a Republican president – or…

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McCrory and Bush

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-20

Cullen Browder from WRAL-TV asked me if it helps or hurts Pat McCrory for President Bush to do a fundraiser in North Carolina. The answer is: both. McCrory has several hundred thousand reasons to bring in Bush: That’s how much money he’ll raise. But McCrory doesn’t want too much coverage. So Bush is coming at…

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Good News, Bad News

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-19

The topic at breakfast downtown this morning was the cutbacks at the N&O – and consolidation with The Charlotte Observer. “Society and democracy took a hit this week,” one friend said. He believes the cuts mean less competition among the papers, less news coverage and less scrutiny of government. “But the papers have to face…

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Bad News

By Gary Pearce 2008-06-18

The only thing worse than the cuts at The News & Observer was the way N&O executives handled the announcement. They sounded like the stonewalling government bureaucrats the N&O excoriates during Open Government Week. Jonathan B. Cox, who wrote the story, had the hardest job in North Carolina. Imagine writing about your employers while they’re…

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For Our Schools: Mo Green

By Gary Pearce 2024-04-18

A teacher I know, who happens to be our daughter Maggie Pearce Dill, said it better…

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The Least Harm

By Carter Wrenn 2024-04-17

Siena College took a poll, Biden crept up, gaining 4 points: Trump 45%, Biden 44%. The…

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Post-Christian America

By Carter Wrenn 2024-04-16

‘8 in 10 Americans Say Religion Is Losing Influence in Public Life,’ the headline roared. The…

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