For some reason, the North Carolina Republican Party has invited a criminal to address them on Saturday, and this is causing understandable consternation among GOP strategists and lawmakers.

“Any good consultant will tell [Trump] to look ahead, not back and that would be good advice,” said David Kochel, a Republican strategist for multiple presidential campaigns. “But one of Trump’s superpowers is knowing exactly what his audience wants. They want the hits, and the #1 hit on the charts right now is ‘Stop the Steal.’ There’s no way he can give a speech without playing that tune.”

What’s strange is that the focus is on what Trump might say rather than on the decision to invite him to say anything at all. But I suppose the leaders of the NC Republican Party are also trying to please their audience rather than provide actual leadership.  They want to put on a spectacle, and that’s what they’ll get.

Several former advisers and allies still close to the 45th President said he is under mounting pressure to concentrate on promoting GOP policy priorities and defining his successor, rather than re-litigating his failed reelection campaign.

But the former President has brushed those voices aside, choosing instead to listen to a crowd of characters both on television and in his wider circle who have encouraged him to keep his focus on the 2020 election.

It’s always in my mind that Trump isn’t just a hopeless narcissist but also hopelessly compromised by the Russians. His job has been to wreck the Republican Party, destroy America’s faith in its own leaders and system of government, and weaken our alliances and ability to lead the international community.

Even if I’m wrong that Trump takes some direction from the Kremlin, he accomplishes all their goals as if he’s taking their direction. What would Putin want a failed presidential candidate to do? That’s what Trump does.

He tells his voters the election won’t be fair, then he complains that it was rigged and sends a mob to attack the Capitol. Then he goes on a national tour telling his people that he will soon be reinstated as leader once the truth comes out.

North Carolina is his kick-off date, and the state GOP, like useful idiots, is providing the platform.

And what do “leaders” like Lindsey Graham do about it?

One ally trying to guide Trump in his messaging is Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to a source familiar with their conversations. While the South Carolina Republican has been realistic about Trump’s fixation on 2020 — recognizing that it’s a fool’s errand to get him to steer totally clear of that topic — he has encouraged Trump to deliver a speech that is “two-thirds forward-looking, one-third grievance,” the source said.

Graham correctly predicted that the base would always side with Trump and he’s tried to stay relevant and smooth out Trump’s rough edges. It has not worked and I don’t know why he’s still trying. The day after the January coup d’état attempt, Graham seemed to get it when he spoke from the Senate floor:

“Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view he’s been been a consequential president. But today, first thing you’ll see. All I can say, is count me out, enough is enough,” Graham said.

But that’s not how Graham is behaving now. It’s not how any of the Republicans are behaving. Instead, they’re asking Trump to focus on trashing Biden and “promoting GOP policy priorities.”  They want him to be helpful in the 2022 midterms.

But Trump’s job is not to help Republicans. His job is to turn their party into a useless pile of pro-Russia goo, too stupid to even save itself or our democracy from extinction. His other job is to do whatever satisfies his depraved and self-absorbed mind, and to take idiots’ money while he’s doing it.

Anyone who still thinks Trump might be helpful to them at this point is beyond hope.