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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Perdue 3 Moore 0

By Gary Pearce January 11, 2008

All I know about the Moore-Perdue debate is what I read in the N&O. And I see three points for Perdue: At first her attack on Moore for the Randy Parton-Local Government Commission looked like a reach. The N&O wrote that it was an overreach. But this dog may bite. At the least, anybody who…

In Defense of Pundits

By Gary Pearce January 11, 2008

Enough self-flagellation, already. The media and all of us in the “chattering class” are in full mea culpa frenzy. We have sinned. We have over-reacted and over-reached and over-relied on polls. We have jumped to hasty conclusions. We have talked when we should have listened. We have been too quick to anoint winners and condemn…

In Defense of Pollsters

By Gary Pearce January 10, 2008

I’m a poll junkie. I’ve worked with some of the best pollsters in the country. I’ve devoured hundreds of polls. Every one of them came with a caveat about methodology. It’s printed clearly at the beginning. A recent example: “This poll…has an accuracy of +/- 4.0 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.” Now, the…

Change

By Carter Wrenn January 9, 2008

The Democrats got the infection first. But it didn’t take long for the Republicans to catch the bug too. The symptoms: Uncontrollably saying the word ‘change’ passionately a dozen times in each sentence. Hillary says she’s been fighting for change all her life. John McCain has too. Barack Obama’s a fresh face which makes him…

New Hampshire Winners and Losers

By Gary Pearce January 9, 2008

Remain Calm

By Gary Pearce January 8, 2008

An experienced ocean-swimmer knows what to do in a riptide. Don’t panic, and don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of trouble. Then get back to dry land. That’s what Hillary Clinton and John Edwards should do now. They’re caught in a Barack Obama tide. There’s no fighting it. But there…

New Hampshire

By Carter Wrenn January 8, 2008

Ten polls yesterday in New Hampshire; John McCain led in nine; Barack Obama in all ten. The press loves a good story and Obama’s given them one: David slaying the Clinton Goliath. And the press has gone a little berserk. Hillary’s best hope is to hold on until the wave passes. Which takes two things:…

New Hampshire Change-up?

By Gary Pearce January 7, 2008

OK, OK, we’ve answered one question. The presidential race is all about “change.” But here is a baker’s dozen (plus one) other questions about New Hampshire Tuesday: Will New Hampshire voters be content to “finish what Iowa started,” as Obama suggests? Or will these notoriously independent Yankees revive the Clinton campaign? Obama says his campaign…

Iowa Oscars

By Gary Pearce January 4, 2008

Only in America. After Iowa, the leading Presidential candidates are: An African-American man. The real thing, with a father from Kenya. A Southern Baptist preacher with a sense of humor and a populist streak. Both Obama and Huckabee get two prizes for winning: a big boost and a big bullseye. Put on your Kevlar, gentlemen.…

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…