"Well, first of all the candidate is in control of his campaign. That's No. 1," Manafort said. "And I'm in control of doing the things that he wants me to do in the campaign.

Is the above a very clever comment by Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort?  Yes, Trump certainly is in charge of his own campaign at this point.  Recent news cycles have showcased a candidate who has little ability to concentrate on anything other than the need to feed his own ego.  And yes, Manafort, who probably signed the nondisclosure and nondisparagement agreements Trump demands of all employees, is clearly doing as he is told.

The problem is that anyone as experienced as Manafort knows that at this point in any campaign the manager should be the one calling the day-to-day shots. And the manager’s largest task every day is to remind his candidate of the need to remain in full Energizer Bunny mode when it comes to staying on message in every media and personal appearance. 

I am enjoying the discomfort Manafort, the epitome of the sleazy Washington insider, is probably feeling at this point.