I got the red blues
One of the legacies of the George W. Bush era was the codification of the red-blue color scheme for American politics. Newspapers and TV networks used the results of the 2000 and 2004 presidential... Read More
NC SPIN Posts by John Hood
Democrats searching
Why did Democrats have a disappointing midterm election? Ask the Democrats. They’ve been thinking about this a lot and offer many explanations. Let’s explore their various legends of the fall... Read More
Legends of the fall
Why did Democrats have a disappointing midterm election? Ask the Democrats. They’ve been thinking about this a lot and offer many explanations. Let’s explore their various legends of the fall... Read More
Best pollster in NC was....
Polling, it is said, is more of an art than a science. Pollsters are among the first to say this — particularly when the products, causes, or candidates they project to succeed fall flat. When their... Read More
Dems swung for the swings, and missed
Months ago, as the 2014 election cycle was shaping up as a good one for Republicans, North Carolina Democrats resolved to buck the trend. They had a great deal of help — from a friendly news media... Read More
Spending like its 1969
Government is far, far bigger than it used to be. Liberals generally cheer this development. Conservatives regret it. To understand the disagreement about this change, one must first understand the... Read More
NC's two Jims
As the 2014 election cycle draws to a close, few states have drawn so much national attention as North Carolina, thanks to the tight Hagan-Tillis race, the dramatic turn in state government from blue... Read More
Where stand the two Jims
As the 2014 election cycle draws to a close, few states have drawn so much national attention as North Carolina, thanks to the tight Hagan-Tillis race, the dramatic turn in state government from blue... Read More
Economy isn't stuck in limbo
Which picture of North Carolina’s recent past is more accurate? I’ll call the two alternatives Tar Heel Limbo and Tar Heel Heaven. (And, no, I’m not referring to the fake-class scandal at UNC... Read More
Advertising makes a difference
I know my editors will appreciate it, but I promise I’m not pandering when I say this: advertising gets results. Although academic scolds and professional worrywarts have been complaining about... Read More
