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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Hate

By Gary Pearce March 17, 2023

Nancy Pelosi once called Donald Trump “the most dangerous person in the history of our country.” And that was before he set a violent mob on the Capitol to overturn an election. Now he’s back. And he’s worse than before. He promises us “retribution.” After the 2016 election, I asked a Republican friend, no fan…

You Have to Stand Up…or Lose

By Carter Wrenn March 16, 2023

The war’s started. Ron DeSantis flew to Iowa – taking off the gloves Trump tweeted: “Very small crowds for Rod DeSanctimonious. He’s against farmers, Social Security and Medicare, so why would people show up – other than fake stories from the Fake News!” Say what you will about Trump he’s a fighter. And, so far,…

Kindness

By Carter Wrenn March 15, 2023

In America these days you see wokeness, political wars, media howling, crime soaring – and shake your head, wondering, Where did we go wrong? The other night my wife told me to watch David Muir’s news broadcast from the day before – and I got a surprise: A rail-thin, eighty-year-old, wobbly-legged man’s rent went up…

Jeff Jackson’s Bank Shot

By Gary Pearce March 14, 2023

Congressman Jeff Jackson is the best political communicator in North Carolina. His social media posts yesterday on the banking situation are a master class in explaining volatile, complex issues in simple, plain-spoken terms. Last night, I saw that his video had been viewed over one million times. I’m a print guy, so I read his…

Retribution

By Carter Wrenn March 14, 2023

On stage, standing at a podium, staring at a battalion of supporters, Trump purred, ‘I am your retribution.’ He then mocked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, taking retribution, promised more retribution, ‘I will totally obliterate the deep state.’ No one asked why he didn’t do that when he was sitting in the Oval Office. Ron DeSantis…

Jekyll and Hyde

By Carter Wrenn March 13, 2023

“I hate him” – Trump – “passionately.” Put yourself in Donald Trump’s shoes: Did he feel betrayed when he read Tucker Carlson’s saying ‘I hate him’? He’d helped Carlson. Carlson had cheered him. Then Dominion sued Fox News and Carlson’s text message telling coworkers he hated Trump landed in a courtroom. On election night three…

Cooper’s Big Win

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2023

State Senator Phil Berger and Speaker Tim Moore took a beaming star turn before the cameras when they announced their agreement on expanding Medicaid. They pointedly excluded Governor Roy Cooper. But make no mistake: This is Cooper’s victory. It is a signal accomplishment of his administration. It means 600,000 North Carolinians will get better health…

A Political Dance…

By Carter Wrenn March 7, 2023

A young girl walking to a grocery store at night was raped at knife point; pregnant, back in the 1960s, she went to get an illegal abortion, stared at a blood-stained table, left – gave birth to her daughter, put her up for adoption. Nineteen years later the daughter – Rebecca Kiessling – met her…

A Trial

By Carter Wrenn March 6, 2023

Suing Fox News for $1.6 billion, to prove Fox knew Trump’s claims ‘the election was stolen’ weren’t true, Dominion Voting Systems released Fox TV stars’ emails and text messages. Tucker Carlson texted Laura Ingraham: “Sidney Powell is lying by the way. I caught her. It’s insane.” Ingraham responded: “Sidney is a complete nut. No one…

Getting the News

By Gary Pearce March 13, 2026

How do you get your news? Our statewide poll asked North Carolina voters what their primary…

MAGA-gator

By Gary Pearce March 12, 2026

Thom Tillis and Phil Berger fed the MAGA alligator. Then it ate them. Thomas Mills wrote…

Enough is Enough

By Gary Pearce March 11, 2026

Exactly 80 years ago, in 1946, Republicans took control of Congress with a simple message: “Had…