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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The Price our Children Pay

By Carter Wrenn April 4, 2025

The morning after the Pearl Harbor, surrounded by men he grew up with, standing in a draft board, my grandfather volunteered for the army. Growing up I spent hours listening to stories about World War II. But, like most of my friends, I hardly ever told stories about the hard times Americans struggled through to…

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Bickering away…

By Carter Wrenn April 3, 2025

I opened the newspaper, read most Americans are fed up with bickering…that what they really want is unity. That would be a blessing if it’s true. But it doesn’t look that way. The next article was full of bickering. Both sides have fought in politics for years but, not all that long ago, they had…

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Carter Wrenn’s Political Trail

By Gary Pearce April 3, 2025

My blogging partner Carter Wrenn has written a revealing and engaging memoir of his years in politics – and the rise of the conservative movement in North Carolina in the 1970s and 1980s. His book – The Trail of the Serpent: Stories from the Smoke-Filled Rooms of Politics – takes you inside the conventions, caucuses…

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Last Night

By Carter Wrenn April 2, 2025

Last night Trump took a blow – in Florida and Wisconsin support for Republican candidates dropped ten-plus points. That drop’s more than a turnout skew. People who voted for Trump in 2024 voted against candidates he endorsed this election. Why? The media’s pointing the finger at Elon Musk. But that doesn’t sound right. One thing…

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Dogs of War

By Gary Pearce April 2, 2025

One thing Trump did right his first term was not starting a war. This time, he – and his national security gang that can’t text straight – are determined to let slip the dogs of war all over the world: Greenland, China, Canada, Panama and Gaza. He wants to take over Greenland: “I think there’s…

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Not Practical

By Carter Wrenn March 31, 2025

Born and bred in New York, a dealmaker, TV star, Trump has his own way of looking at things. Take Ukraine: Back during the Cold War, to stop the Soviet Union, presidents made alliances. Like NATO. That kept us safe. A dealmaker, sitting in the Oval Office, Trump sees alliances as financial transactions, looks at…

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The Old Rebel

By Gary Pearce March 31, 2025

Jefferson Griffin is certainly consistent in his beliefs. In college, he celebrated the “Lost Cause” myth of the Confederacy. Now he champions the myth of his Lost Election. Griffin lost his race for Supreme Court, just as the South lost the Civil War. But he won’t accept his defeat, just as his Kappa Alpha fraternity…

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Cutting Spending

By Carter Wrenn March 28, 2025

Once again it’s not what Trump did, it’s how he did it. Congress appropriates money. The president spends it. If Trump doesn’t like how much Congress spends he can veto the spending. Or he can tell Congress ‘cut this waste now’ – and if Congress tells him no he can take his case to voters,…

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Signals Crossed

By Gary Pearce March 27, 2025

Who among us hasn’t accidentally hit “reply all” on a group text or email? Or sent a message to the wrong person? Of course we have. Of course, we didn’t disclose a military operation’s timing, targets and weapons on a hackable, non-secure messaging platform – and put a magazine editor on the text chain. If…

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Spinning Tales

By Carter Wrenn March 3, 2025

Trump growled Zelensky started the Ukraine war. John Bolton said Trump was wrong. Angry, my friend…

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Vanished

By Gary Pearce March 3, 2025

Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and stood up to what he called the “Evil…

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Anything Goes…

By Carter Wrenn February 26, 2025

Back when Rod Blagojevich ran for governor of Illinois, Obama endorsed him and Trump gave his…

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