Chris Kromm says Barack Obama can win North Carolina.

In an interview in Harper's Magazine, the head of the Institute for Southern Studies argues that Demographic changes and turnout could hand the state to the Democratic candidate:

He could definitely pull it off and his chances are growing. If he wins, it will be for a number of factors, starting with the economy. Unemployment could hit 8 percent here and two key sectors of the economy, manufacturing and finance, have been devastated. That’s been critical in terms of Obama winning support from unaffiliated white voters and conservative Democrats who often vote for Republicans. Second, Obama has really mobilized the core Democratic base of African-Americans and urban voters, far more than Al Gore or John Kerry did. And third, core Republican voters here are just not exited about McCain. A lot of Christian conservatives don’t identify with him. The situation is really ripe for Obama to take the state.

He adds that economic problems in the mountains could depress the traditional Republican strength there.

North Carolina's infamous WTF license plate is now an item for Harper's Index.

The September issue of Harper's Magazine finishes off the index — a page of quirky, and oft-related factoids — with the following two items:

"Number of North Carolina license plates issued last year that begin with the letters "WTF": 8,999

"Number of drivers who have asked for a replacement plate: 92"

WTF is a popular, profane abbreviation for text messagers that stands for "what the ----."

The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles was unaware of the letter combination's Internet-age meaning until a 60-year-old technology teacher from Fayetteville complained. Her grandchildren had clued her in.
The DMV has offered to replace the plate for free.