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 Hard Fight to Win

By Carter Wrenn April 11, 2024

Grinning Trump said he would make a deal on abortion that would make both sides happy. This week he put his deal on the table, said he’d leave limits on abortion up to the states. Both sides erupted. Angry. Unless you have faith in the wisdom of Washington politicians, leaving abortion in the hands of…

Politics Today: One Example

By Carter Wrenn April 10, 2024

Running for Congress, to win the primary Kelly Daughtry spent millions out of her own pocket – but landed in a runoff. In the blink of an eye reaching deeper into her pocket she blanketed the airwaves with ads, filled mailboxes with mailings, telling voters her opponent’s: A Never-Trumpster puppet bankrolled by Democrats, Worked for…

Distract and Divide

By Gary Pearce April 5, 2024

It’s the oldest trick in the right-wing playbook: distract us by dividing us. Jim Blaine, a UNC-Chapel Hill trustee and Republican political operative, says the Republican-run legislature or the Republican-appointed Board of Governors will take action this year – an election year – against diversity programs in the University system. “It’s my belief that it…

Hoops Joy – and Fear

By Gary Pearce April 2, 2024

I’m as passionate about NC State basketball as I am about Democratic Party politics. So, I’m celebrating the men AND women making the Final Four. I also have a nagging fear about college basketball this year. It stems from the explosion of sports gambling, which came to North Carolina the same time as March Madness.…

American Trauma

By Gary Pearce March 29, 2024

An American history textbook published in 2050 might call the first quarter of the 21st Century “Time of Trauma.” “Trauma” explains a lot about our politics today. It started with 9/11, a shocking attack on the homeland. Briefly, we rallied and came together. Then we embarked on two misguided, misbegotten and ill-fated overseas wars that…

A Simple Question

By Carter Wrenn March 27, 2024

Hamas stormed into Israel, killed men, women, and children. Shocked Israelis thought, We’re no longer safe. We can’t live in the same world with Hamas.  Hamas must be destroyed – invaded Gaza to crush Hamas. Biden said he was 100% behind Israel but, before Israel crushed Hamas, tap dancing, Biden told Israel, Stop. Make peace.…

Plagues

By Carter Wrenn March 26, 2024

Plagues have been around since the time of the Pharaohs: What caused the plague that killed a million Americans? Bad luck? Nature, the result of germs morphing in bats in caves in Wuhan? A blunder by scientists in labs making biological weapons? The Good Book tells us in ancient times God allowed plagues to show…

Both Sides Now?

By Gary Pearce March 26, 2024

Democratic heads exploded over this story in The News & Observer last week: “The two candidates running to lead North Carolina’s public schools are accusing each other of promoting radical agendas that would devastate public education in the state.” Democrats call that “both-sidesism.” Some journalists call it “balanced reporting.” It’s the practice of giving equal…

An Angel Shows Up

By Carter Wrenn March 25, 2024

Reagan’s voice turned softer, the room fell silent, people leaning forward on the edge of their chairs to hear – remembering the ‘tap, tap, tapping’ of Neville Chamberlain’s umbrella on the cobblestones of Munich Reagan said détente was a mistake – like appeasement had been a mistake. Sitting in the White House Gerald Ford went…

Obama 48-Trump 39

By Gary Pearce April 26, 2026

A new nationwide poll shows that, if they could run against each other in 2028, Barack…

“Conservative Successes”?

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2026

Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…

Rise and Fall

By Gary Pearce April 21, 2026

A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…