According to a report in Politico, TraitorTrump is giving Republicans heartburn over his resolve to run again in 2024.

Here's how they frame things: TraitorTrump being determined to run, and scaredy-cat GQPers clutching their worry beads over such a thing:

Trump is confiding in allies that he intends to run again in 2024 with one contingency: that he still has a good bill of health, according to two sources close to the former president. That means Trump is going to hang over the Republican Party despite its attempts to rebrand during his exile and its blockade of a Trump-centric investigation into January’s insurrection.

But of course he wants to run again, if only for that sweet, sweet immunity from prosecution. The thing is, it's unlikely he will be able to unless he can run the clock on pending New York indictments:

And amid news that the Manhattan district attorney has convened a grand jury that could decide to indict Trump, other executives working for him or the business itself, Trump publicly signaled this week that he’s considering another run. But he may face skepticism from surprising corners of the GOP, as some Republicans who supported him consistently during his presidency have mixed opinions about the possibility of a Trump 2024 campaign, according to interviews with 20 Republicans in both the House and Senate.

Get a load of the mealy-mouthed statements Republicans are oozing.

“President Trump did a lot of good," John Cornyn oozed. "But he squandered a lot of his legacy after what happened after Nov. 3. And I think that’s a shame.”

Narrator: He doesn't really think it's a shame. If he did, he'd be voting for the January 6 commission, but he's not.

Here's a gem:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the middleman between Trump and the Hill GOP these days, said that the ex-president’s plans to devise a still-nascent “America First” messaging drive will put Trump “in charge of the policy agenda.” And Trump’s future, his semi-regular golfing partner suggested, might hinge on how his party handles the next 18 months.

“It’s more likely than not that he does” run, Graham said. “How we do in 2022 will have a big effect on his viability. If we do well in 2022, it helps his cause. I want him to keep the option open.”

On what planet does a sane politician want a twice-impeached traitor as their nominee? Of course, there's no indication that any Republican is sane and Florida Rep. Brian Mast is here to prove it. “Why have a carbon copy?” Mast wondered. "Why would we not support the original?”

I can think of many reasons not to support a traitorous criminal who wants to use public office to shield himself from the consequences of his life of crime, but then, I'm not a Republican.

But wait! There's more! They planted two stories in Politico Thursday, one of which claims they're dreading the restart of Trump rallies, to which I will call a hearty bullshit. They ache for the fundraising opportunities, the engagement of the rabid Trump base, and that sweet, sweet small donor cash.

Nevertheless, they're not above telling the occasional lie to outlets like Politico Playbook for a headline:

“If we win the majority back in 17 months, it’s going to be in spite of Trump — not because of Trump,” said one senior House Republican aide for a lawmaker considered one of Trump’s top supporters on Capitol Hill. “He will totally take credit if we win the House back — but it won’t be because of him. This guy is a disaster.”

I guarantee you that aide will be at the rally Trump holds in his state. Without fail, he will be applauding and cheering and wearing the red hat along with the rest of them. They love the attention.