Based on observation and many conversations with an intimate friend of his...I'd say school boy infatuation. The theory of this life long friend is that for all of his enormous incredible success and influence, he's not over being the fat kid in middle school and being kept away from the cool kids table. Trump is just about the coolest kid around now. THINK BACK: Rush used to be overly deferent to Rove, when Rove was cool. Again, this is from people who know him personally and have since Cape Girardeau days and another since Kansas City days.
This makes sense, IMO. It explains why Rush is always talking about golfing with Trump...he's impressed that he can do so.
I haven't listened to Rush for a while because I don't care to hear a three-hour Trump fan club litany. But, early in the game as it is, I do believe there will be egg on the faces of Trump enthusiasts. Trump just can't govern his mouth.
Rush could take a lesson in objectivity from Levin. Mark's chief problems with the Fox debate were the stupid questions and the freeze-out of Ted Cruz. He made a point to say it wasn't about Trump, or about defending him.