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.

CarterWrenn200x271

Carter Wrenn

Gary Pearce 2024

Gary Pearce

Archives

Categories

The New Ad Wars

By Gary Pearce July 3, 2009

Two “issue” ad campaigns caught my eye this week. They show where this kind of media strategy is going.   One ad was about U.S. Senator Kay Hagan and the others, state Senator Doug Berger.   When I first saw the ad about Hagan, I thought: She’s already running a campaign ad? It sounded just…

A Red Corvette

By Carter Wrenn July 3, 2009

As good as our Democratic politicians here in North Carolina are at providing us with scandals…the Academy Award this year is going to South Carolina’s Governor.             Nobody’s seen anything like what’s going on ‘South of the Border’ since Sherman burnt Columbia.             See if you can figure this out:   The Governor went to…

Perdue in Command?

By Gary Pearce July 2, 2009

Back when Lauch Faircloth was a Democrat in Jim Hunt’s Cabinet (pre-1984), he liked to say a governor had to have “command presence.”   Governor Perdue’s poll numbers may be low because the public does not see that quality in her today.   Speaker Joe Hackney had what struck me as a might chilly reaction…

Passings

By Gary Pearce July 1, 2009

Could there be three more quintessential American stories than Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Billy Mays?   Jackson was the Elvis Presley of his day. He and Elvis were racial crossovers, bringing black music into white America. Someone told me Jackson was the first black performer on MTV back in the days when the network…

Laughs

By Gary Pearce July 1, 2009

Two of the best lines I’ve heard this week re John Edwards and Mark Sanford:   “The definition of narcissism is thinking you’d look good in a sex tape.”   “Now we know why Mark Sanford rejected the federal stimulus package. He already had all the stimulus he needed.”

New Video

By Carter Wrenn June 30, 2009

The Home and Hospice Care Association folks are giving State Senator Doug Berger a run for his money. Yesterday they aired a TV ad in his district. Today they put a video on the Internet. (View Ad Below)   In his State Senate Committee Berger cut home care for 20,000 patients on Medicaid. The reason he…

A Sex Tape?

By Gary Pearce June 30, 2009

It’s been a rough couple of elections for Republicans, so I can understand how happy today’s news is making Carter (see his blog below).   But how can you blame him?   Just when you thought the John Edwards affair could not sink lower, here comes Andrew Young.   Just when you thought Mark Sanford…

It’s Only Tuesday…

By Carter Wrenn June 30, 2009

Well, even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then; a year ago Republicans couldn’t buy a break and now gifts are falling out of the sky – of all things, Mrs. Easley is going to contest her dismissal from NCSU.   It’s amazing: After her ‘wooden Indian’ press conference it seemed a safe…

Deep Throat

By Carter Wrenn June 27, 2009

My guess is hardly anyone reading this blog remembers when the movie Deep Throat came out 37 years ago – but there was an article about it in the paper last Saturday.   Some sleuth has figured out that back in 1972 (when I was nineteen) the FBI moved heaven and earth to keep the…

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…