The real news in The News & Observer/Charlotte Observer poll is that Hillary Clinton could pull an upset in North Carolina.

You are forgiven if you missed it, because the N&O’s coverage obscured the head-to-head: Obama 32, Clinton 26 and undecided 39.

The 22-paragraph story made only one mention – and that in the first graf – that Obama leads Clinton. It then went on at great length about how “trustworthiness trumps experience” in the race. And the article offered the obvious observation that undecided voters could be decisive.

The only place where readers could find the actual head-to-head numbers was a front-page pie chart.

Put me down as confused.

The papers may have downplayed the presumably demeaning “horse race” in favor of what they view as more enlightening insight into voters’ decision-making.

But why bury the lead? Why not explore how the trustworthiness/experience dynamic affects Clinton/Obama?

Another question: Why was the undecided number so high? It was also high in the Governor’s race (Moore 25, Perdue 19, undecided 56). Maybe the poll did not include leaners – those voters who, when pushed by a follow-up question, will say which candidate they would vote for if the election were held today.

But, to know, you’d have to look at the entire questionnaire and results. Are those available online?

One final quibble: The accompanying box – “How the Poll Was Conducted” – had so many cautions, caveats and qualifiers that one is tempted to conclude there is nothing whatsoever trustworthy about the poll.

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