Rick Perry, who's White House aspirations imploded after endless debate gaffes, wants to debate Nancy Pelosi, who, as Politico notes, has no reason to take him up on the offer. Which is why Perry probably invited her in the first place. In a seemingly made-for-attention letter obtained by The Hill's GOP 12 blog, the Texas governor throws down the gauntlet, asking Pelosi to appear with him for verbal duel, ostensibly because she appears to represent his idea of the "congressional status quo."  

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.

I think it would be a tremendous service to the American public to see a public airing of those differences. Let the people decide.

If Monday doesn't work, perhaps we could find a time in Iowa over the course of the next month to discuss these issues in front of the people of America's heartland.

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.

Sincerely,

Rick Perry
Governor of Texas

And if Monday or sometime in Iowa doesn't work, then it proves that I, Rick Perry, am right, and you, Nancy Pelosi are wrong. At least Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain's idea of a gimmicky one-on-one debate--for all its book-selling ulterior motives--involved actual GOP candidates for president. 

Update: Brain freeze jokes never die. Nancy Pelosi responds to Rick Perry on Twitter: "Re: Gov. Perry--Monday I’ll be in Portland. Later visiting labs in CA. That's 2. I can’t remember the 3rd thing."

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Erik Hayden