You seriously don't think that it being Trump ratchets it up to 11, though? They are absolutely insane with regards to him.

This is why a populist can win only if it's Trump - because their only option is to go even more crazy.

They are in an escalation spiral where they have to keep doubling down, and each time they do it helps Trump. When they charged him in political prosecution it helped Trump. The mugshot helped Trump (remember the whining that Trump looked badass in it?). Now he's a dictator and will send Rachel Maddow to the firing squad.

And re: Trump (and reeee Trump), it has been going on so long they're at Keith Olbermann levels and turning people off just like he does to what little followers he has left. With any other candidate they can reset back to the start; DeSantis is short - whereas they did the small hands thing for Trump 8 years ago and it's played out already.