Re: “hardly think that Trump supporters turn on Rush to hear about the media being flummoxed by Trump, but rather to hear Rush’s non-stop campaign for him.”
I listen to Rush for his take on the news of the day. Trump is in the news most days and therefore Rush comments on what is going on at that time. I just don’t hear that as endorsing Trump. Do I think Rush would vote for Trump if he is the candidate? Yes. Do I think Rush would vote for Cruz if he is the candidate? Yes. Do I think Rush would vote for Carson? Yes.
I just heard Rush yesterday play statements Trump has made from past to present that was turned into a political ad against Trump by Jeb and some republican in Massachusetts (I think). The statements are seen as embarrassing to Trump and the ad is intended to draw conservatives away from Trump. Rush did comment on the veracity of the quotes and their context. I don’t see that as an endorsement as he has done the same thing for Carson and for Ted Cruz.
Bump. I read Rush's booming Trump the same way, viz., that Rush is enthusiastic about the way Trump deals with and neutralizes the filtering efforts of the MSM.
I don't see Rush's comments on Trump as an explicit endorsement of Trump, and I do see them as evidence of his admiration of Trump's method and political style, which, let's remember, has something of Reagan about it. Although Reagan didn't challenge and mock people directly as Trump does.
If Cruz or Carly Fiorina (to pick a pair of dissimilar Republicans) were to start campaigning in the Reagan or Trump style, I'm sure Rush would be as pumped about them as he is now about Trump. That's because the MSM have been the biggest enemies a conservative could have, this side of the Kremlin wall, during the last 75 years.
And by the way, truth in advocacy, I'm still for Ted Cruz, with a caveat on his immigration stance; I haven't heard yet the right things from him.
Coda: Re Dr. Sivana's "correcollection" of a Rush endorsement back in the day, Rush's explicit endorsement will not have worked on Manor Bush, who have spent a lifetime, especially Poppy and Babs, ignoring inconvenient people, esp. people like Rush who lack college degrees never mind Yale, and so Poppy will have gone out of his way to, like the Bourbons, avoid learning anything from his social lessers.
So Rush could have saved his breath back in 1992.
Just saying.