Guess it’s time to catch up on today’s political news and views after Ryan and I spent so much time and space on deep dives into bigger topics. Here’s what I have for lunch:

* Massachusetts heath plan architect Jonathan Gruber says we won’t know much more than we do today about the successes and failures of Obamacare until the fall of 2014.

* Entire blogosphere having great sport with David Brooks column on his youthful dope-smoking. I didn’t feel much like shooting fish in a barrel this morning, but you never know what the afternoon will bring.

* American Idol alum Clay Aiken actively considering U.S. House race in North Cackalacky.

* Peter King does a lot for Edward Snowden’s reputation by wild attack on him at Fox News.

* Peggy Noonan suggests only reason Bill de Blasio was elected mayor is that too many voters aren’t as old and wealthy as she is.

And in non-political news:

* You do not want to be in the vicinity of any Alabama Crimson Tide fans today if you can help it.

As we break for lunch, here’s more Aretha: the 1968 hit “The House That Jack Built.”

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Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.