Newt Gingrich, Donald Trump | featured news

Donald Trump withdrew Tuesday as the moderator of a debate planned for later this month in Iowa, citing his interest in possibly still running for president as an independent. Trump pulled out of a debate he had planned to host along with the conservative magazine Newsmax, scheduled for Dec. 27, just days before the Iowa caucuses. All the GOP presidential candidates save for Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum said they would not participate.

Newt Gingrich has said "yes" to The Donald. Gingrich yesterday became the first GOP presidential candidate to accept an invitation to a Dec. 27 debate in Iowa moderated by Donald Trump. "I would want to go just for the entertainment value," Gingrich told reporters after a campaign event Saturday. "I can't imagine what a debate hosted by Donald Trump would be like."

Donald Trump is gaining more momentum ahead of his potential 2012 presidential run. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out today finds Trump tied with Mike Huckabee atop the field of potential GOP White House contenders. According to the poll, Trump and Huckabee both garner 19 percent support among likely GOP voters. Sarah Palin comes in second, with 12 percent, while Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are tied atthird, with 11 percent support each.