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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Mayor Meeker Turns Developer

By Carter Wrenn December 11, 2006

Mayor Meeker’s said some unkind things about developers (especially when it comes to higher impact fees) in the past, but, now, the Mayor’s about to try his hand at the development business himself. He’s gotten the green light from the City Council to proceed with his plan to spend $40 million (most of it from…

What If’s on Iraq

By Carter Wrenn December 11, 2006

Now that we seem to have started down the path of getting out of Iraq, let’s ask ‘what if’ the worst happens. We won the military war in Iraq in a matter of weeks. But we lost the ‘post-war peace’ to the terrorists. Why? According to one analysis recently declassified documents show British Prime Minister…

Rolling Back Regulations? Sort Of.

By Carter Wrenn December 8, 2006

The City of Raleigh’s passed so many new regulations (it now regulates everything from hot dog stands to newspaper boxes) the Council is considering exemptions – but not for everyone. It seems City Hall has discovered regulations are driving up housing costs, so the Council is looking at giving a special exemption from storm water,…

For President: Who?

By Carter Wrenn December 8, 2006

In an odd way Conservative Republicans may be looking at Democrats with something like envy. Because Democrats have so many viable candidates for President. The Moderates have Evan Bayh and John Edwards. The Liberals have Hillary, John Kerry, Al Gore and John Edwards (who’s trying to appeal to everyone). But what about conservative Republicans? Right…

Why Stay in Iraq?

By Gary Pearce December 8, 2006

The Jim Baker report on Iraq is a stunning indictment of George Bush’s Iraq war. For that, I’m thankful. But it’s a dishwater-weak response. The report is like too many bipartisan, blue-ribbon reports: mush. The strategy it proposes doesn’t rise to the crisis it describes: “The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating. There is…

Union Politics in Raleigh

By Gary Pearce December 7, 2006

Organized labor was a big winner in the 2006 elections. Not that it was on the ballot. But it strongly supported Democrats. And it will play a major role in the 2008 presidential race – as shown by John Edwards’ recruitment of David Bonior of Michigan to lead his campaign. Unions could also play a…

Black’s Fifth Term?

By Carter Wrenn December 7, 2006

The next time you look up tenacity in the dictionary you may see House Speaker Jim Black’s picture beside the word. Black’s been hauled before the Board of Elections, the Grand Jury, the federal courts and his nominee for the lottery commission was convicted of fraud but, despite it all, as improbable as it sounds,…

Overreaching, Overspending, Overtaxing?

By Gary Pearce December 6, 2006

My joy over Democratic victories in 2006 is tempered by my fear over what we might do to screw it all up in 2007. Politicians’ instinctive reaction to victory is too often hubris. When they win, they assume they have license to do everything they’ve ever dreamed of doing, regardless of whether the voters voted…

Poll: The Presidential Race

By Carter Wrenn December 6, 2006

The latest Gallop Poll of the Democratic and Republican candidates says: Democrats Hillary Clinton 31% Barack Obama 19% John Edwards 10% Al Gore 9% John Kerry 7% Republicans Rudy Giuliani 28% John McCain 26% Condoleezza Rice 13% Newt Gingrich 7% Mitt Romney 5% Pollster Dick Morris (http://www.vote.com/) observed that the poll shows the ‘gender gap’…

“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…