Yesterday afternoon I was asked by a producer for Chris Hayes’ MSNBC show to appear on All In to discuss all the Confederate Flag stuff, and as usual, couldn’t do it because there are no appropriate studios near where I live. So that’s another downside of life here in paradise, at least for people in my business: you might as well be on Mars from the POV of TV bookers in Megalopolis. Stay tuned to this space, though, for upcoming news on an opportunity to see my Face Made for Radio and hear my cracker voice via a non-network medium.

Here are some non-visual midday news/views treats:

* Ramesh Ponnuro argues just enough Republicans will “cave” to a federal Obamacare fix w/o poison pills to make it probable. I’m skeptical, and he doesn’t name names, but he is a credible source for what GOPers are thinking.

* In case you were hoping for Bobby Jindal to have last-second recognition of political reality, no, he’s running for president per his campaign webpage.

* Scott Walker starting to look Jindalesque as Wisconsin Republicans resist his budget proposals and begin to carp he only cares about out-of-state conservatives.

* Fox News declines to renew contract with Sarah Palin. She can still be on the network, but probably won’t get paid.

* Greg Sargent notes passage of fast track means spotlight back on HRC to take position on actual Trans-Pacific Partnership.

And in sorta non-political news:

* Iceland rated world’s most peaceful country

As we break for lunch, this is Jeff Beck’s birthday as well as Mick Fleetwood’s. So here’s Beck performing the Jeff Beck Group classic “I Ain’t Superstitious” with Rod Stewart in 2007.

YouTube video

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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.