I just can’t resist a good game of Hide and Seek. So, when I read earlier today that the Hayes camp was now claiming ‘ol Flip-Floppin’ Robin (FFR) had somehow managed to squeeze in a little face time with W. on Independence Day, I just had to find out for myself if this was true.

Uh, no.

Let me give you a bit of background. As Lance pointed out earlier today, The Charlotte Observer told us on June 30

Three N.C. House members represent the Fort Bragg area.

Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., of Concord, would seem the likeliest candidate to join the president. But with a race in November, he's planning to be part of a few holiday parades in his district on July 4.

"We're still finalizing his schedule," said Hayes spokeswoman Carolyn Hern. "Obviously, he'd very much like to spend the Fourth of July with the hard-working troops and their families."

That seems pretty clear, doesn’t it? As of Friday June 30, FFR was finalizing a schedule that would include a few holiday parades. To be specific, TroyFest on Saturday July 1 (we all know how well that went) and parades in Harrisburg, Oakboro and Hope Mills on the 4th.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that the Oakboro and Hope Mills events were not known about publicly until FFR showed up on the 4th. Hayes was in fact expected at the Harrisburg event that was hyped for several days in advance on local radio by Hayes “supporters” touting FFR’s prowess in the annual Cow-Milking Contest while suggesting some perceived deficiency in the cow milking abilities of Larry Kissell. {insert joke here}

Imagine the surprise of Tina Kissell, farm-native wife of Larry and experienced cow-milker, when she showed up at said Cow Milking Contest in Harrisburg only to find that Robin Hayes flip-flopped on the defense of his Cow Milking Crown and showed up in Hope Mills where Larry was instead.

Fast forward to today. According to the Raleigh News & Observer FFR’s spokeswoman Carolyn Hern says

Hayes met with Bush at Fort Bragg on Tuesday and then stuck around for an Independence Day celebration.

She said Hayes ate with the troops at a luncheon the president also attended. Hayes and Bush talked briefly, Hern said.

I hate to break it to you, Carolyn, but unless Robin Hayes is the Invisible Man, you’re a big fat liar.

Check out Wednesday’s Fayetteville Observer that describes in great detail Dubya’s trip to Fort Bragg.

The president emerged from the plane at 8:52 a.m.

In a little over three hours on the ground at Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base, he thanked troops for their service individually and in a nationally televised speech.

The article is pretty in depth about the Independence Day celebration and the luncheon that the President shared with the troops, making sure to mention what Dubya and his good friend selected from the cafeteria lunch line. Too bad that friend wasn’t Robin Hayes.

After the speech, the motorcade headed to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s dining hall. About 200 soldiers waited to have lunch with the president.

“At ease!” someone called out, and a moment later the president walked in.

He went through cafeteria line with the soldiers, taking a green salad, pasta salad and fried chicken. Longtime aide Karl Rove loaded a plate with fried chicken and fried onion rings.

And what about the celebration part? Turns out it was a birthday celebration.

Bush turns 60 on Thursday. Throughout the day, people wished him a happy birthday. But when a Washington Post reporter asked him about it, he looked annoyed.

“Generally, I celebrate my birthday on the birthday itself,” he said. However, he said, “There may be a surprise party.”

Members of the press thought he meant a party planned for Tuesday afternoon in Washington. But during the meal a few minutes later the troops brought in a birthday cake decorated like an American flag and sang “Happy Birthday” for him.

Lunch over, Bush returned to Pope for his flight back to Washington. Air Force One left the ground at 12:02 p.m.

There was just so much going on that day, the Fayetteville Observer had to run two articles about the event. Check out the other one that talks about all the Luster that will rub off on the fine city of Fayetteville as a result of the president’s visit. Funny, no mention of the honorable Rep. Hayes.

Bush’s three-hour tour featured a speech in front of 4,000 troops and family members, as well as lunch in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s dining hall.

-snip-

“Our Fourth of July was kicked off with a presidential visit. Not many other states can say that,” said John Meroski, president of the convention and visitors bureau.

-snip-

Tuesday’s visit probably will not reap much of a political benefit for state Republicans, because it was mainly a visit for the troops, said Bill Peaslee, the chief of staff of the state Republican Party.

“That being said, any time the president comes to North Carolina, it’s always a help,” Peaslee said

So strange…FFR is no where to be found. Not in the Fayetteville Observer or the NY Times or the Washington Post

Not even on his own website

Can it be that the Congressional Representative to the district that is home to Fort Bragg, serving on the Armed Services Committee, was on base on the Fourth of July with the President of the United States and NOT ONE news outlet – local or national – even mentioned his name or took his picture?

I don’t think so.