Surprise!  Donald Trump will get a formal opening-day role at the Republican convention, according to Politico, who talked to “people familiar with the matter”:

Trump has generated some buzz with recent posts on Twitter saying he was planning a “big surprise” at the convention next week. But for the first time sources are confirming Republicans will indeed enlist Trump to be part of their opening day act.

Trump’s appearance will come on a day with a theme titled, “We Can Do Better,” which appears likely to amount to a coordinated attack on Obama’s time in office.

“We are going after Obama,” said Kyle Downey, a convention spokesman. “If he doesn’t want to talk about his failed record, we will. The American people expect and deserve better.”

But what exactly does this “surprise” entail?  Maybe not as much as it sounds:

Convention organizers won’t say what he’ll be doing in Tampa or whether he’ll address the delegates there. But they promise the controversial billionaire and prominent anti-President Barack Obama provocateur will be part of their opening day schedule.

The move will undoubtedly generate headlines given the real estate mogul’s star power and his flair for the unconventional.

That’s certainly one way of putting it, yes.  But if Trump isn’t speaking to delegates, what will he be doing?  Perhaps he’ll be acting as some sort of ambassador for Wall Street and celebrity attendees, but even then, it wouldn’t be like Trump to do so quietly.  He’ll want a big platform at some point; the only question will be whether he wants the dais.

In this case, I think LBJ’s advice probably applies.  I’d rather have Trump inside the tent looking out then outside the tent looking in.  (Okay, okay, I’m paraphrasing.)  I just hope that the famously loose cannon doesn’t end up being the worst of both cases.