Trump is going no where. He’s the nominee. Get used to it.

The GOP primary pool won’t change the weather, nevermind bring us into a new political climate.

It was the most normal of times, it was the most bizarre of times. For many — Republican and Democrat alike — the idea that 2024 might, just might, have welcomed a newer politics, was at least a faint possibility.

After a defeat in 2020, an under-performance in the 2022 mid-terms, and a large push-back against the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, conventional wisdom could have steered the GOP towards a refreshed approach. After all, there is reasonably fertile ground out there to do so.

The likes of Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Mike Pence, Chris Christie are not awful. They have many flaws, of course, but nearly all candidates do. They could have made the foundation of a half-decent primary pool, albeit one that doesn’t set the world on fire. And with Joe Biden not breaking 50% favorability in nearly a year, even a mediocre crowd could have put up a fight.

There are some out there, not least the aforementioned candidates’ team, who will still believe it’s possible that their person could win. Which is quite cute. On the Democratic side as well, there’s — amongst some — a belief that Trump is old news. Surely everyone is…