Brock’s Manchurian Candidate Theory was not that Trump was the only one who was looking to take Hillary down, but that that was his only role in the primary. Brock’s initial conspiracy theory was that Trump wasn’t running to win the GOP nomination but to to the “dirty work” of trashing Hillary. He would be so negative it would drive down Hillary’s numbers and make an easier path to victory for the eventual GOP nominee. That theory was wrong. Trump was in the race to WIN, not knock Hillary down for someone else. Silly theory when you think about it. When has Trump ever played 2nd fiddle to someone else?
But “Manchurian Candiate” implies a secret sponsor or connection.
It persists but in a different form. The more recent form is that Trump is indifferent about winning, because he will use the experience to launch a media empire. Just before that, the story was that he intended to lose or drop out, so he could launch this media empire.
All plays off the same principle, Trump is in this for himself not for the country, he is not serious. Yesterday the riff was that his intention to sue false accusers is proof that he intends to use the office to work vendetta against his detractors.
The press will continue with variations on this theme even after Trump is elected. His official acts will be cast as having only self-serving motivation.
Similarly, there are STILL some NeverTrumpers who claim that Trump is only in this to throw the race to his good buddy Hillary. Because, they say, "there is no difference between Trump and Hillary."
It's insane, I know. But that is Amanda Carpenter & ilk's oft-stated position. And the dead-enders they rode in on.
This email looks to me like the Clinton team was worried they didn’t have the gop 100% bought.
And that Trump was somehow being used by the faction of the gop that hadn’t been fully bribed to accept the plan to get Hillary elected.
This is dated at the time Trump’s steady level of support had swollen and was surging. The point at which strategists were realizing Trump could be the nominee.