It’s about time City Administrator Robert Bobb realized he’s a hot political commodity.

When LL dropped by D.C. Council at-large candidate A. Scott Bolden’s campaign-office grand opening last Saturday, Bolden eagerly rattled off the guest list. He appeared to take special joy in pointing out that Bobb had dropped in for some snacks and conversation.

In some circles, the appearance of a high-level mayoral appointee at a party for a candidate in a hotly-contested political contest would be a signal of support. Some might even rush to judgment and call Bobb’s Saturday night socializing with the Bolden crowd an endorsement.

The way Bobb sees it, the Bolden party visit was just part of a night out on the town.

“I don’t make political endorsements,” says city administrator, who explains that he was invited to the opening when he ran into Bolden earlier in the day. “He told me he was opening up his office, so I stopped by.” And that’s the end of the story from Bobb’s standpoint. “Scott is a neighbor,” says Bobb of his Penn Quarter pal and suggests if another candidate invited him to an office opening he might show up there as well.

Then again, maybe Bobb owes Bolden a little starpower. After all, it was Bolden who gushed about the take-charge city administrator when rumors were swirling last winter that Bobb might get into the mayor’s race. Bolden piled on the praise even though he was exploring a run for mayor himself.

Bobb’s chief of staff, Dana Bryson, wasn’t quite as careful with her language describing her boss’s thoughts on Bolden. “He thinks Scott is a good candidate,” says Bryson.

“I was happy to have him, just like everybody else who came by,” says Bolden. “Robert Bobb is a neighbor and a friend and I’m glad he showed up.”