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If Sens. Kay Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, and Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, needed to write one of those "what I did on vacation" papers popular in elementary classroom, they could claim help from dozens of ghost writers.

Last week's President's Day recess had both North Carolina senators out pressing the flesh and smiling to the cameras rather than taking it easy. And both were pretty well-documented by we scruffy media types.

Both spoke to the 2009 Biotech Conference in Raleigh. Hagan landed some ink when she visited a potential stimulus project in Forsyth County and spoke to the Human Rights Campaign in Charlotte. At the same time, Burr was chatting up constituents throughout North Carolina, including a rally of conservative activists in Raleigh and a swing through the northeastern section of the state.

"Sen. Hagan promised during the campaign that, if elected, she would be open and accessible to the public and the press," said Dave Hoffman, one of Hagan's four spokespeople.

Left unsaid was that Hagan beat Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole based on the perception - fair or unfair - that Dole didn't often visit what was putatively her home state.

I'm hardly the first to make this observation.

"Hagan is making sure folks know she's back home when the Senate is in recess," wrote Observer columnist and Raleigh capitol press corps dean Jack Betts. "And if she does run for re-election in 2014, she surely wants to make sure she doesn't have that ‘never-comes-home' problem that contributed to Dole's defeat."

For his part, Burr faces re-election in 2010 and doesn't seem to be in any danger of falling victim to the absentee-senator label. My impression, shared by at least a few of my colleagues who cover politics in this state, is that Burr makes it home fairly often. But it does seem he's getting more notice these days when he makes public appearances.

"It's nothing that we're approaching differently," said Burr spokesman Chris Walker. When asked whether he thought the boss was getting more notice, he said, "I hope he is!"

Of course, the leader in the hometown media notice arms race may be Rep. Howard Coble, who puts out a news release any time he's in state with a listing of events, usually every week. Some are banal - "previously scheduled constituent appointments" - others routine - "attend church services" - while others are speeches to clubs, tours of businesses and Boy Scout ceremonies.

"He has a press secretary who used to be a reporter," said Ed McDonald, who is Coble's spokesman and chief of staff. "And, you know, people are sometimes desperate for stories."

Some events, like attending church services, aren't on there for news value but so reporters can find Coble to comment on the story of the day.

"He says part of his job is being accessible," McDonald said of Coble.

The Burris question

The saga surrounding Illinois Sen. Roland Burris, impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich's choice to replace President Barack Obama in the Senate, rolls on and promises to provide Washington with something to concentrate on other than fixing the economy for at least a few more weeks.

Burris is in trouble less than a month into his tenure - that has to be some kind of land speed record - because of revelations that he might have played more ball to get Blagojevich to appoint him to the "bleeping valuable" Senate seat. It turns out that Burris did try to raise some money for Blagojevich before getting the appointment.

That has led to calls for investigations and, of course, for Burris to step down so that Illinois can appoint someone who won't help define meshugaas on the Potomac.

I asked North Carolina's senators to weigh in on the matter.

From Burr's office: No comment. "I would defer to the Senate Ethics Committee on that point," Walker said.

From Hagan's office: An offer to get back to us but no answer as of Monday afternoon.

On the calendar

Coble's office has been getting mail from the likes of Eddie Van Halen and Seal in the run-up to a Thursday committee hearing on "Competition in the Ticketing and Promotion Industry."

The hearing has to do with the pending merger of Ticketmaster, a ticket broker, and Live Nation, a concert promoter. Coble is ranking member of the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, giving him a front-row seat as the music industry descends on Capitol Hill.

"All these high-profile people are mailing and e-mailing us, musicians and producers," McDonald said.
But don't think any rocker's celebrity is going to sway Coble's judgment. His taste runs more toward banjo-pickin' good ol' boys than rock-god guitar heros.

Votes

There were no votes in the House or Senate last week as Congress was on its President's Day recess.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com