[Senator Clay Davis]

The bat####iest race in history just got even bat####ier

The real estate mogul and TV reality star launched his presidential campaign Tuesday, ending more than two decades of persistent flirtation with the idea of running for the Oval Office.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for president of the United States, and we are going to make our country great again," Trump told the crowd.

Just over four years after he came closer than ever to launching a campaign before bowing out, Trump will make what he's billed as a "major announcement" at the lavish Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York, laying out a vision to match his incoming campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."

The 68-story tower venue Trump used Tuesday is more than just the backdrop to Trump's presidential announcement, instead becoming a physical embodiment of what Trump is bringing to the table and the challenges he'll face as he formally enters politics.

Trump has already billed himself as the "most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far," pointing out even that he owns a "Gucci store that's worth more than Romney."

That Gucci store won't be far as Trump makes his announcement -- it's located in the lobby of the Trump Tower.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/16/politi...130astoryphoto