I noticed ex-councilman Nate Holden standing around when Mayor Hahn posed for the cameras last week at Galpin Motors, but I didn't chat him up. Rick Orlov did, and reports the scoop today in his Tipoff column in the Daily News:

Everyone in politics is suspicious of coincidence. But when it comes to former Councilman Nate Holden, anything is possible.

Hahn was at Galpin Ford in Panorama City to pick up the endorsement of former Councilman Hal Bernson, when Holden was spotted inside the dealership reading the newspaper.

"What's going on?" he asked reporters.

Told of the news conference, Holden insisted he knew nothing about it.

"I was just bringing my car in for service," Holden said, waving around one of those flimsy yellow work order receipts. "I didn't know anything about this."

The DN's Mariel Garza is on the panel for this afternoon's mayoral debate at Cal State Northridge, airing live at 5 p.m. on KNBC, KWHY (Channel 22, in Spanish) and KFWB.