Scotto Has The Love, And Other Items

--Several friends of Talking Politics said recently that they were phone-polled about Scott Brown and potential 2012 Senate match-ups. Looks like that was the work of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which, according to Salon, learned that Scotto is as popular as white chowder in the Bay State. His approval rate is at a stunning 73%, and he tops 50% in head-to-heads with top Democrats. That will only help keep the Capuanos etc. on the sideline, which seems to be where they were planning to be anyway. But the folks who have to be most annoyed -- particularly at the public leak of the poll results -- are the Setti Warrens, Kim Driscolls, Alan Khazeis, and Bob Massies of the world, who want in. They'll likely find it much harder to raise money in the coming months, for what the DSCC itself seems to be saying is a hopeless quest. Gee thanks!

--Two years ago I noted that Tomas Gonzalez was running for Boston City Councillor -- spelled with 2 Ls. That's the official city spelling, but almost everybody uses one-L councilor. Well, I'm told that newly elected Tito Jackson -- whose campaign manager was Tomas Gonzalez! -- is going with 2-L councillor. He's shaking things up already!

--Boston Public Library, facing budget cuts, talking about closing on Sundays. My solution: let them stay open AND sell alcohol on Sundays! Get on this, councilors. Or councillors.

--I'd have to guess that any major candidacy announcements (paging Michael Flaherty? Michael Flaherty?) aren't going to happen within 48 hours either way of Red Sox first pitch, so we're safe until the start of the week. BTW, there's a rumor going around that Steve Murphy will be appointed Suffolk Registry of Probate (the position has been open since January, when Richard Iannella retired), which if true would eliminate the whole 5-fighting-for-4-spots problem if Flaherty is really running. On the other hand, if Flaherty's not running, it creates a late opening just before paper-pulling time. Of course, there's always a rumor that Murph will be appointed to whatever the current open position happens to be, so I'm not putting much stock in this yet.