This is what I was saying yesterday. The obsessive focus on every facet of the Manafort trial, despite its conclusion being almost certain, gives Trump the daily opportunity to complain that the media is making a big deal about something that has nothing to do with collusion.
2/ Of course, he then does the media a solid by lying repeatedly about his relationship with his campaign manager (going back many, many years and for about half of the pre-inauguration, post-announcement period) so he thereby squanders any advantage he'd get from the overhyping.
3/ Mind you, the Manafort trial has *quite a bit* to do with collusion, because it explains Trump's campaign manager's motivations for the entirety of the candidate's presidential run, and explains also his backroom machinations. But that's not an argument America can hear yet.
