Does this mean that Donald Trump’s media tour was nothing more than a self-serving publicity stunt?  Perish the thought:

Donald Trump announced Monday that he will not run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Despite months of speculation and a brief pop in the polls, Trump said in a statement that he was “not ready to leave the private sector.”

Nothing proved that more than his oxygen-sucking clown act in pandering to conspiracy theorists.  Did anyone seriously think that Trump was serious about running for the nomination?

Hardest hit — Charles Krauthammer?

I’ll post updates as details emerge.

Update: Katrina Trinko has the entire statement at NRO, but the first paragraph is the most significant:

After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency. This decision does not come easily or without regret; especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in polls across the country. I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election. I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector.

So it’s the old I’d totally win if I cared enough to compete explanation, eh?   That’s not what the latest polls showed.