“You think he's gone? He's not gone. That's the whole point! He's never gone!” This line delivered by Richard Dreyfus describing the title character in the 1991 comedy “What About Bob?” could just as easily be applied to Donald Trump since it’s become apparent that the former President is not planning to recede into the background, and is already laying the groundwork for a 2024 presidential run. That’s what he will reportedly tell the gathered wingnuts at this Sunday’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), according to Axios.

In this clip from The Damage Report, John and Francesca discuss what the return of the Great Orange Menace will mean, and how Trump will likely leverage his remaining power over the right wing in this country and specifically the Republican Party. Francesca says she fears the media will be drawn back to the crack pipe of endless Trump coverage, leading inevitably to a Biden-Trump rematch, a sequel she describes as akin to two old men bickering in a nursing home.

In terms of the politics, John notes that Trump has promised to throw money and support behind Republicans who have crossed him, so that will likely help shape the 2022 primaries, while Trump’s overbearing presence may also drive prospective 2024 Republican presidential contenders to decide it’s not worth the trouble if that means challenging the party’s biggest boss and bully.