Who didn't play hooky to see Barack Obama?

As noted previously, three governors in town for a training session at the Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership showed up at an Obama event Monday: Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and former Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado.

Though they were on the guest list, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley did not show.

They had a good reason, of course. The Hunt Institute had scheduled discussions on education all day Monday in Chapel Hill, and seeing Obama meant making a 40-minute drive to Raleigh and missing a healthy chunk of the three-day session.

But it's worth noting who else didn't make the drive: Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Guam Gov. Felix Perez Camacho.

Camacho and Pawlenty have a good excuse: They're Republicans.

For their part, Sebelius, Napolitano and Kaine may not have wanted to fuel further speculation that they'll be picked as Obama's vice president (though that didn't stop Schweitzer from glad-handing.) And Doyle and Sebelius have already done their duties here.

Update: Sebelius and Napolitano were at an Obama fundraiser in Chapel Hill. 

Barack Obama recognized Democratic pols in the crowd.

At the N.C. State Fairgrounds today, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee recognized Gov. Mike Easley, John and Elizabeth Edwards, U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge and G.K. Butterfield.

He also noted the three Democratic governors being escorted by Edwards: Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and former Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado.

In this crowd, Brian Schweitzer is a celebrity.

The governor of Montana shook hands and had his photo taken with enthusiastic supporters of Barack Obama at the N.C. State Fairgrounds a few minutes ago.

Bill Neuffer, an environmental engineer from Durham, recognized Schweitzer from C-SPAN, while his friend, Diane Wright, knew him from discussions of potential vice presidential picks in an online forum that she participates in.

The two shook Schweitzer's hand and had their photo taken near the front stage in the Exposition Center shortly after noon. Schweitzer gave the love back.

"Smile like you've been to Montana," he said.

Afterward, Schweitzer pulled Dome into a sideways bear hug, explaining his theory that Montana was the setting for the finale of the Democratic presidential primary.

"It wasn't over until the fat lady sung, and the fat lady lived in Montana," he said.