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 Few Statistics from the News and Observer’s School Bond Poll

By Carter Wrenn May 19, 2006

The News and Observer and WRAL-TV polled to find out if the taxpayers would support a $625 million school bond (with no tax increase), a $998 million bond (with a tax increase) or a $1.15 billion bond (with an even bigger tax increase). 1. Voters opposed the $1.15 billion bond (with the biggest tax increase)…

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Ethics In Its Mildest Form

By Gary Pearce May 18, 2006

Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives – both Democrats and Republicans – showed this week that they just don’t get it. They have no idea how little confidence the public has in them now. The representatives passed a new ethics law, but did everything they could to protect themselves against any real change…

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Ethics Reform – House Style – Chapter 1

By Carter Wrenn May 18, 2006

I’ve not often had a kind word to say about Senate Democratic Majority Leader Tony Rand. I do today. It seems hard to believe but House Speaker Jim Black has made Rand, the man who removed the crosses and Bibles from the Senate Chapel, look like a paragon of public virtue when it comes to…

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Ethics Reform – House Style – Chapter 2

By Carter Wrenn May 18, 2006

Here’s the State House version of Ethics Reform: Members can take secretly ‘gifts’ of up to $500 from people seeking favorable legislation. They can take bigger gifts if they report them. Hard to believe? Democrat Representative Verla Insko, who voted against the secret gifts said “she didn’t like the thought of being able to keep…

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Strange Logic II

By Carter Wrenn May 18, 2006

I asked a retired friend, who occasionally serves as a substitute teacher, why the School Board was determined to push for a tax increase when three independent polls show it losing overwhelmingly. He told me an interesting story about the dress code in the Wake County Schools. He said students ignore the dress code and…

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The Taxes Just Keep on Coming

By Carter Wrenn May 18, 2006

Wake County Manager David Cooke wants to increase property taxes three cents. The way the politicians describe this type of tax increase, they say it’s “only” a $45 increase on a $150,000 home. Let’s look a little closer. On top of Mr. Cooke’s three-cent tax hike, the Wake County Board of Education wants a 3.9…

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The Still-Shrinking President

By Gary Pearce May 17, 2006

President Bush’s immigration speech showed just how far he has fallen. And it happened when – in my opinion – he actually is trying to do the right thing. (There, that’s my nod to bipartisanship this week.) On gay rights, Bush is the monkey to the right-wing organ grinders. Even though Laura disagrees – publicly!…

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Strange Logic

By Carter Wrenn May 17, 2006

WRAL-TV and The News and Observer have taken a poll on the Wake County School Bonds. They found voters: Favored a $625 million bond with no tax increase 64% to 28% Opposed a $998 million bond with a tax increase 59% to 27% Opposed a $1.15 billion bond with a bigger tax increase 57% to…

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Democrats Getting Bluer?

By Gary Pearce May 16, 2006

Us Southern Democrats have worried a long time about being totally abandoned by the national party. This election could accelerate that trend. Especially if Democrats win control of the U.S. House by knocking off vulnerable Republicans in the Northeast. Various reports show that districts won by John Kerry – but that still have GOP congressmen…

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The N&O Story

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2025

Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful newspaper: The News & Observer. Everybody…

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How Democrats Win Again

By Gary Pearce March 10, 2025

The shouting, sign-waving and cane-wielding by congressional Democrats at the State of the Union isn’t a…

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Deborah Ross’ Rx

By Gary Pearce March 7, 2025

Curmudgeonly Cajun James Carville says Democrats just need to “roll over and play dead” and wait…

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