A Few Quick Local Notes

--As I wrote at the time, Menino -- still known here as Mayor McChicken, since he still hasn't declared his candidacy for re-election -- really put a lot on the line with his wage-freeze proposal; I thought it was politically brilliant as long as he got the unions to agree to it. That hasn't really gone so well, which leaves him open to charges of: Where was your Plan B? Did you really put all the city's eggs in Stutman, Kelly and Nee's basket?

--Queen Elizabeth II is giving Ted Kennedy an honorary knighthood, according to the Washington Post, which somehow reported it without a single Camelot reference.

--I'm not sure I buy the idea that city councilor Mark Ciommo's integrity is compromised by his kid getting into BC -- but on the other hand, I know that Alex Selvig fights for the residents of Allston-Brighton, because he carried boxing gloves with him everywhere during the campaign. If Ciommo had boxing gloves, I'd feel a lot more confident.

--No prediction here one way or the other, just saying: don't count out Susan Passoni in the 3rd Suffolk special election.

--The "Marian Walsh is getting a judgeship" rumor is back in rotation. Don't know if it's true.

--Lots of rumors about the state-wide offices in 2010, but nothing solid: Tim Cahill will or won't run against Patrick (which means who will or won't run for Treasurer?); Guy Glodis will or won't run for Auditor; etc. etc. I'm still focussed on the Big Question: will the GOP get more total votes than independent and third-party candidates? In 2006 they just barely managed it. The GOP (Healey/Hillman for Gov/Lt, Frisoli for AG) scored 1,358,730 votes. Ind./3rd (Mihos and Ross for Gov, Stein for Sec'y, O'Keefe for Treas, Wilson for Audit) grabbed a combined 1,246,194 by my count.

--And here's a trivia quiz for you Massachusetts political junkies: can you name Christie Mihos's and Grace Ross's Lt. Gov. running-mates?