Andy Taylor is the press corps' favorite professor.

As chairman of the political science department at N.C. State University in Raleigh, Taylor is often turned to for an academic take on the day's events.

There are several reasons: Taylor is pithy, neutral and accessible. For television reporters in need of a talking head, he's a short drive away. And his British accent is a nice change-up for radio reporters in need of an expert.

Taylor attributes his readiness to talk to the press to his job.

"It's an important part of our job responsibilities at N.C. State as a public institution," he said. "One of our charges is that we're here not just to serve our students but also the greater community. I take very personally the responsibility to inform the public."

He's also a reliably neutral source, more likely to talk about the history or context of a news story than to take a stand on an issue. He says his students regularly complain in their course evaluations that they don't know where he stands.

For years, Taylor had an excuse: As a British citizen, he couldn't vote.

"I could honestly say I didn't have a dog in the fight," he said.

More after the jump.

   Comments (1)