Will Trump Pull Out of 2012 Race?

Mike Huckabee recently made the announcement that he will not run for president in 2012.

Apparently his heart told him “No,” and so did his FNC weekend cable show, “Huckabee.” The former Arkansas governor would have had to give up his coveted TV spot in order to make a go for the top political gig.

Now that Huckabee has announced his nonrun, the media are moving on to other stories, like whether Donald Trump will formally enter the race.

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NBC’s newly released fall schedule for the 2011-12 season may provide a hint. The listing of a particular reality TV series could be significant.

Trump’s hit show, “Celebrity Apprentice,” has been officially renewed and is all set to air in the fall.

Does this mean that the Donald will follow in Huckabee’s footsteps and favor his showbiz career over a potential run for prez?

NBC President Robert Greenblatt told The Associated Press, “We're putting a pin in that for the next 24 hours or so. Things will become clearer soon.”

Greenblatt revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that a Trump-less “Celebrity Apprentice” could continue on.

“It's such a strong franchise, not to minimize his [Trump’s] presence in it because we love him,” Greenblatt explained.

“But I really do think it's all about the casting of that show and the challenges and if he's not available to us, we're going to have someone really interesting sitting at the head of that boardroom,” he added.

Based on the current crop of potential GOP candidates, let’s hope so.

James Hirsen, J.D., M.A. in media psychology, is a New York Times best-selling author, media analyst, and law professor. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court and has made several appearances there on landmark decisions. Hirsen is the co-founder and chief legal counsel for InternationalEsq.com. Visit Newsmax TV Hollywood: www.youtube.com/user/NMHollywood.