Goodness, have you ever seen anybody try so hard to lose an election? From day one? I'm surprised when he dropped out of the race he simply didn't nominate Trump to take his place so the Trump can run against himself for guaranteed win.
Or perhaps it's always been there, only giving something of the illusion that it took a step back in order to curry public favor when it looked like the public might go have them for dinner from round the 1920s - 70s,,,