Presidential candidate Rick Perry sent a letter to Nancy Pelosi challenging her to a debate. Yes, Rick Perry — as in “Oops” Rick Perry — voluntarily initiated a chance to debate someone.
Perry wrote, “I am in Washington Monday and would love to engage you in a public debate about my Overhaul Washington plan versus the congressional status quo.”
Perhaps the best part of the letter was this line: “Should you choose not to respond or engage in such a healthy discussion, I will take it to mean you will continue your obstructionist ways in the face of much needed Washington reform.”
Oh snap! He’s really got the House Minority Leader cornered now!
But Nancy Pelosi used her political prowess this afternoon to RSVP to Perry’s invitation and have a little fun on his behalf by recalling the Texas governor’s gaffe at the CNBC Republican primary debate last week.
“He did ask if I could debate here in Washington on Monday. It is my understanding that such a letter has come in. Monday I’m going to be in Portland in the morning, I’m going to be visiting some of our labs in California in the afternoon, that’s two. I can’t remember what the third thing is I’m going to be doing,” Pelosi joked at her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill today.
However, Pelosi’s witty reply did not deter Rick Perry. The Perry campaign then took to Twitter to respond by alluding to a recent “60 Minutes” piece on Congressional insider trading: “@NancyPelosi Perhaps the third activity that you have forgotten is the ongoing insider trading?”
Given Perry’s less than stellar performances in previous debates, do you think he could take on Pelosi and win — should he even try?
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Danielle Weisberg