Today's news brings word of an intriguing poll out of North Carolina. The headline in the News and Observer - “N.C. Dems prefer Edwards to Clinton, Obama” is accurate, but one could also write, “Newt Gingrich polling as well among North Carolina Republicans as John Edwards is among North Carolina Democrats”.

North Carolina Republicans are divided over who should be their next presidential nominee, but Democrats like home boy John Edwards, according to a new poll.Edwards, the former Tar Heel senator, had the support of 29 percent of Democratic voters, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh. Edwards is followed by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton (16 percent) and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (15 percent), with 40 percent saying they would support another choice.

The former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, had the support of 30 percent of GOP voters, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (29 percent), Arizona Sen. John McCain (22 percent) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (6 percent). The remaining 13 percent supported someone else.

Obviously, this poll is only big news if Edwards trailed an opponent among North Carolina Democrats. Having said that, if you had told me that the non-Hillary and non-Obama Others would outpoll Edwards in the Tar Heel state, in a poll conducted just a few days after he declared his candidacy... I would suggest that's a sign that Edwards is a bit soft in his home state.

And I realize this poll will stir cheers from the volunteers hoping for a Gingrich candidacy. Most folks see the GOP presidential primary as the big three - Rudy, McCain, and Romney - and then somebody looking to fill the old George Allen slot. Maybe the fourth slot will go to Gingrich... or maybe there will be five serious contenders by the time of the first caucus.