Donald Trump has spent much of his life in the public eye and had his fair share of criticism. However, there is a huge difference in living a Hollywood-like lifestyle and being under the intense scrutiny that political candidates endure.

His recent attempts to discredit President Obama have created intense media attention and a stir among many special interest groups. By some he is being branded a racist. His newfound conservative values and unwillingness to support gay marriage has drawn boycotts from gay rights activists.

One of the challenges that Trump now faces is that his criticism of Obama is getting branded as racist.
It’s an unwinnable situation. If you attack the character or qualifications of an African American, racial tensions will ensue due to the history of our country. To beat Obama in 2012, Trump is going to have to criticize his actual or perceived failures as a President. Since the media consuming public thrives on controversy, I expect Trump will continue down his current course, despite the negative branding. After all, no publicity is bad publicity, right?

Trump has claimed that he will make his final decision by June 2011 on whether or not he will run for President. He also stated that for him, it is a difficult decision because he is not a career politician and he will give up some privacy he currently enjoys.  The boycotts might effect the ratings of his show and the performance of some of his businesses.  Trump holds his name as his most valuable asset.  To risk his name, must mean that he is serious about running and thinks he has a good chance of winning.

If the media frenzy turns to roasting Donald Trump, I expect it will affect his decision and could ultimately cause him to question the benefits of running. In the end, it will be the polls and whether or not they indicate he has a good chance of winning, which will be THE factor in Trump’s decision. If Trump believes he can win, he’ll run.
With the GOP holding the first 2012 primaries in February, instead of January, we will potentially have another 9 month media circus before the Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada primaries give way to any actual results. If Trump decides to bow out in June, the 2012 election will be less entertaining and these three months will go down as the side show that finally put the birther issue to rest.