The real reason billionaire Donald Trump is out in the public jiving the Republican base.

Donald Trump serving GOP needs.

Glen Taylor's Strib in the editorial decision - which AP feed to carry - makes the process painfully obvious; the actual aim of things being to rig the table to make Jeb! and the eleven or so other dwarfs enabled to do a jump in, "I'm not that manner of extremist, no sireeeeeeee; not me."

Specifically, Strib here highlighting some Trump-speak, a manufacturing process for near-blind GOP Koolaid consumers:

Trump said McCain "is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." The comment drew some boos from the audience.

During a news conference after his appearance, Trump did not apologize but sought to clarify his remarks.

"If a person is captured, they're a hero as far as I'm concerned. ... But you have to do other things also," Trump said. "I don't like the job John McCain is doing in the Senate [... note how McCain is not running and Trump asiduously avoids bad-mouthing any Republicans who are ...]

Trump said he avoided service in the Vietnam War through student and medical deferments, adding that he did not serve because he "was not a big fan of the Vietnam war. I wasn't a protester, but the Vietnam war was a disaster for our country."

The comments about McCain drew rapid criticism from other 2016 hopefuls. In a statement, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said the remarks make Trump "unfit to be commander-in-chief." Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush tweeted: "Enough with the slanderous attacks. @SenJohnMcCain and all our veterans — particularly POWs have earned our respect and admiration."

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were also quick to condemn the remarks.

Trump was among 10 GOP presidential candidates on Saturday's program for the Family Leader Summit.

What, no Carly Fiorina distancing-herself quote? She's writtem off already, a gender problem, what? Ben Casey Carson, the neurosurgeon? Relegated to being a not-quote-worthy non-factor? This early? Not fitting into the Nixon southern stragety mold?

Only absolute idiots cannot see through the strawman sham.

And with that in mind, the GOP base seems to be loving it, but also hearts-twanged by due respect for "a war hero," which surprisingly can get them channeled into musing, perhaps one of the other ...

Somebody has to fall on the sword to be an absolute posturing fool, to aim to by comparison make the others look to not be the posturing fools and rabid extremists that each of them actually is.

So name your trump suit.

Play out your hand.