A bit surprised, but if true, perhaps an explanation. Many people from the northeast especially New York and New Jersey have moved down to NC, specifically the Charlotte and Raleigh areas. Perhaps all those from NY & NJ moving down to NC has pushed it more Democratic than originally thought, but it was a bit obscured in 2004 as the 9/11 Bush bounce that was seen in suburban NYC was also seen in the voting of the transplanted New Yorkers down in NC, and they voted Republican at a higher rate than they otherwise would have due to it. Now its a theory and likely a stretch, but something to ponder, especially if future NC polling supports this one.
It's a stretch. NC voted in much the same way it did in 2004 as it did in 2000, after accounting for a slight (2%ish) Edwards boost.
Little to nothing to do with Edwards. Several urban areas in the state swinging Dem either due to long-term demographic trends (the growing ones. That is, those of the growing ones that swung Dem. Nowhere near all of them.) or to acute economic depression (the shrinking ones). A candidate-related boost would have been more centred on the rural parts of the state.
