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 Democratic Year — And Years?

By Gary Pearce October 31, 2006

NC FREE Executive Director John Davis, like a lot of prognosticators, says this will be a Democratic year. HHHe also raises hopes there will be many more Democratic years. I heard Davis give a presentation in Wilmington this week, and I got some ideas and information from him I haven’t heard anyplace else. About this…

Y’all Vote

By Gary Pearce October 31, 2006

We were asked to help promote a new website – www.yallvote.com – which bills itself as an “ad-free, non-partisan web site promoting voter education and participation in North Carolina.” Check it out. Click to Read & Post Comments

Poll on School Bonds

By Carter Wrenn October 31, 2006

There’s a lot to be learned from the News and Observer’s poll (10-24-06). Let’s start with the School Bond. Supporters say their poll shows voters support the bonds 56% to 37%. The News and Observer’s poll shows almost the exact opposite. Voters oppose the bonds 54% to 35%. Every group in the News and Observer…

Interrogations and Torture

By Carter Wrenn October 31, 2006

The ACLU is asking the courts to strike down the law Congress just passed (and the President signed) about the military’s interrogation of captured terrorists. They say the law allows interrogations and military trials that violate cherished traditions and civil liberties. Now, it is natural that anytime the American government passes a law limiting civil…

A Sure Way to Get a Politician in Trouble…

By Carter Wrenn October 31, 2006

…is to give him a state airplane. The News and Observer reports (10-23-06) “eyebrows were raised” last weekend at the Democrats Vance-Aycock dinner when State Treasurer Richard Moore, who has a campaign chest bulging with money, showed up in a state plane. Moore’s spokeswoman said his “official duties” that day included a “literary meeting,” a…

Getting Personal

By Gary Pearce October 30, 2006

I’m afraid my Democrats still don’t get it: politics is about character, not policy. You think we’d learn after Al Gore and John Kerry. But no. The cycle repeats itself this election cycle. Democrats all over the country, it seems to me, are running ads attacking Republicans on complex policy issues. Republicans, in the final…

Who’s Guilty: Both

By Carter Wrenn October 30, 2006

Unfortunately, there’s another piece of bad news for us Republicans when it comes to the impact of the lottery scandal on Democrats this election. NCFREE, a longstanding, respected, non-profit, pro-business organization has taken a poll. It asked which party is more likely to be corrupt? The answer: Both. John Davis, President of NCFREE, stated, “The…

A Maverick

By Carter Wrenn October 30, 2006

Last year, Congressman Walter Jones was met with a firestorm of criticism – much of it from fellow Republicans – when he spoke his mind about Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s handling of the Iraq War. You may or may not agree with Congressman Jones – but you have to admit he has one attribute…

Iraq – A New Strategy?

By Carter Wrenn October 30, 2006

In 1940, the British had a debate about sowing mines in the Rhine River. Opponents of the plan said, No, because mines could harm innocent civilians.’ Three years later, the British and Americans were firebombing German cities; we decided we had to destroy the Germans’ ability to fight in order to destroy their armies. Last…

“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…