"Stephen A. is that dude. If Stephen A. ever decides to leave and turn the reins over to me, you all know I’m that dude. I’m him. Now the problem y’all got is you got two hims to go up against."
Douthat’s opinion-writing background, which I once viewed as a liability, actually helped him here. He thinks about big questions for a living. Therefore, he knew where to push Trump beyond the usual talking points.
"I get to talk about sports on a daily basis. I haven't lost the fandom for these teams. This is what I want to do, be as successful as possible. And do it for as long as I possibly can."