Donald Trump: Political Sideshow or The Real Deal?

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2011 -- Donald Trump appeared at a rally in Boca Raton, Fla., today, giving the Tea Party faithful the anti-Obama message they wanted to hear.

"Our current president," Trump said, amid booing from the crowd. "They all want me to say, 'You're fired.'"

Ever since Trump appealed to the "birther" movement by pushing President Obama to reveal his birth certificate, the real estate mogul has seen his poll numbers rise, elevating him to the top of the list of potential Republican candidates.

The latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey shows Trump tied at 19 percent with former Arkansas and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

"I don't even know if Donald Trump believes this stuff, but it's playing well," John Avlon, a columnist for "The Daily Beast," told ABC News. "I think that actually should scare the hell out of the Republican party right now."

As Trump ascends to lead the presidential contender pack, some Republicans worry Trump might be more of a political sideshow than a legitimate candidate. For two consecutive days, Karl Rove, former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for President George W. Bush, went on the attack, calling Trump a "joke candidate."

"If you start off the campaign saying my number one priority is to get the birth certificate because I don't think he was born in Hawaii, that does not give you the right launching point," Rove said today on Fox News.

The reality TV star, whose catchphrase "You're fired," infiltrated the American lexicon, has indicated he may make an announcement regarding a future presidential run on the season finale of his show, "The Apprentice," in May, but some question whether this may be a serious bid or simply a ploy to gain more media attention.