Maggie Haberman has a love-hate relationship with the man who most people hate. She loves him because he gives her exclusives – he must be her “source” for many stories, which leads to him loving her, but then there is the normal hatred between two adversaries who write and read bad stuff.

Haberman just said something on CNN that will garner Trump’s hatred but also make him think – to the extent that’s a thing in his life. The discussion centered around Trump’s impending criminal trial in New York. The trial is scheduled for April 15th, and the date is fast moving upon him. This trial involves Trump’s failure to report hush money to Stormy Daniels and falsifying business records to get away with it.

Trump’s readiness for a criminal trial was discussed today because Trump has managed to avoid many close calls during his life with respect to criminal charges, but he’s not getting out of this one, absent a plea deal – something considered impossible. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked:

“What do you think it’ll be like, though? Do you think it’s set in for him that the trial’s actually starting in three weeks?”

Haberman didn’t equivocate:

Absolutely not. I’m told that he does understand that this is not likely that he’s going to win on appeal. It’s a slim to none chance in trying to delay this further and that the trial will start in 21 days. But I don’t think this is gonna become real for him until we get much closer to it.

Define “Much closer” – because two and a half weeks is pretty darned close. Moving on:

And Kaitlan, I have to say that sitting in that courtroom for him four days a week – if there’s gonna be a pause on Wednesdays, but four days a week in this very ding sort of Bonfire of the Vanities type courtroom – is gonna be pretty interesting to watch.

It will not be interesting for Trump to watch, that we can say with certainty because Trump says that he prizes loyalty above all else. “Loyalty” from others is another word for total control.  He will be sitting in a room that he not only cannot control but control of him will be exercised with totality.

He has sounded normal lately, bragging about winning golf tournaments. NO, he is not “ready” for a criminal trial.

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Jason Miciak is an editor at large at Occupy Democrats and is blessed to spend time with friends at Political Flare. He can be reached at [email protected] and @JasonMiciak at Musk’s Mash-up.