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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Aggressive Democrats

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-08

It does my heart good to see Republicans fuming because North Carolina Democrats are playing hardball. First there was the ad raising questions about Pat McCrory – before McCrory could introduce himself to voters across the state. Now there is a new ad from the DSCC with this tagline about Elizabeth Dole: “Not as effective…

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McCain’s Only Hope

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-07

The low road is the only road to the White House for John McCain. So he’s riding it hard. Mr. Straight-Talk-Let’s-Clean-Up-Politics has shed the last shred of his old skin. He’s turned his campaign over to the Karl Rove snakes who slimed George W. Bush’s old enemies – John Kerry and, oh yes, John McCain…

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…And How to Beat It

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-06

The low-road strategy beat Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and John Kerry. But not Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton. And maybe not Barack Obama. Here’s why. Dukakis, Gore and Kerry reinforced – with their own performances – the portrait that Republican slime-masters drew of them. Lee Atwater painted Dukakis as a wuss. And Dukakis wussed out…

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I Know Nuthink

By Carter Wrenn 2008-08-06

When the national Democratic Party poured a whopping $6.5 million into her campaign, Kay Hagan was shocked. Just shocked. She knew nothing about it. The millions of dollars that fell from the sky like manna from heaven were a complete surprise. But, now, Beverly Perdue has done her one better. After raising hundreds of thousands…

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Edwards Vs. The Enquirer

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-05

John Edwards’ political career began after the death of his first child. Will it end after the birth of another child? A once-strong Edwards supporter posed that question the other day. She, like other supporters, is nervous about the “love child” story. Edwards said it’s “tabloid trash.” That’s not enough. If the story is not…

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Ditch the Ruby Slippers

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-05

The Ruby Slippers have been Kay Hagan’s gimmick – a way to say Elizabeth Dole is really from Kansas, not North Carolina. Memo to Kay: Put the slippers back in the closet. Negative attacks don’t work when they appear personal or irrelevant. The slippers are both. And negative attacks backfire if the shoe fits you…

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George Bush Vs. Paris Hilton

By Carter Wrenn 2008-08-05

Imagine this: A pollster-guru-political whiz sitting in McCain’s headquarters turning pages, staring at statistics, searching to find someone in America who is less popular than George Bush stops, looks up and says two words: “Paris Hilton.” The young Republican males sitting across the table — who have cut their teeth in the ‘voters are idiots’…

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Obama and Young Voters

By Gary Pearce 2008-08-04

An older Democrat asked me how to get younger votes who are excited about Barack Obama to vote a straight Democratic ticket. Thanks to past Democratic legislatures, the ballot makes this hard. You have to vote for Obama, then go to a separate place to vote a straight ticket. That was a good idea when…

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World-Class Schools Bite the Dust

By Carter Wrenn 2008-08-01

Not long ago a School Board member railed at the Wake County Commissioners by saying they were about to destroy world-class schools in Raleigh. Well, the County Commissioners can stop trying. The No Child Left Behind Act has done it for them. Now, I know No Child Left Behind is not the most popular program.…

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A Simple Question

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-27

Hamas stormed into Israel, killed men, women, and children. Shocked Israelis thought, We’re no longer safe.…

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Plagues

By Carter Wrenn 2024-03-26

Plagues have been around since the time of the Pharaohs: What caused the plague that killed…

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Both Sides Now?

By Gary Pearce 2024-03-26

Democratic heads exploded over this story in The News & Observer last week: “The two candidates…

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