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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How Goes the War?

By Gary Pearce April 24, 2007

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States is not losing in Iraq. In that case, I’d hate to see losing. Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles in our Forum.

Guns and Politics

By Gary Pearce April 23, 2007

After the Virginia Tech shootings, both sides of the gun-control issue lined up and took their usual firing positions. But don’t expect anything to happen. Why not? Just look at the Commonwealth of Virginia. And the Democratic Party. Democrats have a majority in the United States Senate today thanks to Jim Webb of Virginia. Webb…

Where’s the Line?

By Gary Pearce April 20, 2007

Where’s the line between showing a media-obsessed society too much and too little? Where’s the line between glorifying a killer and glimpsing what lies behind evil? Where’s the line between protecting the rights of clearly disturbed people and protecting the rest of us? Where’s the line between protecting people from a shooter who may be…

The Republican Silence

By Carter Wrenn April 18, 2007

Are the Republicans in Raleigh intent on ending the corruption in state government? It’s impossible to say. Because by and large they have been silent. The latest scandal involving Richard Moore is an example. Just as Jim Black was leaving office and Democrats were praying they would never hear the words ‘pay to play’ again,…

Would the Real John Edwards Please Stand Up

By Carter Wrenn April 18, 2007

In his presidential campaign, John Edwards portrays himself as a mill town boy who pulled himself up by the bootstraps. He knows the poor. He feels their pain. His political speeches are filled with his compassion. But, now, the News and Observer (4-19-07) reports that while Edwards has been out crusading to eliminate poverty, he…

Dick Cheney’s Responsibility

By Gary Pearce April 17, 2007

Vice President Cheney said on Face the Nation Sunday that Democrats are “irresponsible” to push for withdrawal from Iraq. Irresponsible? I’ll give you irresponsible: Irresponsible is leading America into one of the greatest foreign policy disasters in history. Irresponsible is pretending that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. Irresponsible is short-changing the military force…

Yankee Politicians

By Carter Wrenn April 17, 2007

A little over a decade ago I spent a sojourn in New Jersey working on a presidential campaign. It was my one immersion in “Yankee Culture.” The first time I saw a true-blue, street-smart, dyed in the wool Yankee politician in action it was pretty impressive. I remember a reporter asking him a tough question,…

Moore Trouble

By Gary Pearce April 16, 2007

The storm flags are flying again for State Treasurer and would-be Governor Richard Moore. Now it’s a report by David Ingram in The Charlotte Observer that: “The employees who manage the $70 billion N.C. public pension fund are traveling out of North Carolina on official business more than twice as often as they did just…

The Hoax – Part II

By Carter Wrenn April 16, 2007

Thomas Crowder has perpetrated the ‘Great Pawnshop’ hoax and he’s gaining steam. Two weeks ago, Crowder, Mayor Meeker’s bosom-ally, announced a legion of pawnshops is moving into Raleigh neighborhoods. The threat doesn’t exist. A city detective testified to Crowder’s committee that he couldn’t even recall a pawnshop opening in a neighborhood in the last five…

“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…

Rolling Down the Elbe

By Gary Pearce April 19, 2026

Gwyn and I just returned from a 12-day journey through 1,000 years of history in Germany…