HEY, MR. PRESIDENT: WHY NOT DEBATE NEWT ANYWAY?

Back when he and a fair number of other people thought he had a good chance of being this year's GOP presidential nominee, Newt Gingrich challenged President Obama to a series of Lincoln-Douglas-style debates, He continues to issue that challenge, though now, of course, it seems moot -- but Gingrich can still dream, can't he? Here's his new ad:





Adam Serwer writes:

Newt Gingrich has turned his Monday night debate exchange with Juan Williams on food stamps and the black community into a campaign ad, titled "The Moment."

... The ad begins with the question, "Who can beat Obama?" The ad is betting that Republicans are longing to see Gingrich lecture the first black president on how there's nothing racist about suggesting black people would rather be on public assistance than work for a living. It indulges two longstanding Republican fantasies: That Obama is an intellectual lightweight dependent on his teleprompter who would be easily dispatched by a knowledgeable conservative opponent, and that racism on the right is entirely an invention of liberals, who are the real racists.

Really? If given the chance in a debate, Gingrich would do his "food stamp president" riff to President Obama's face?

If that's the case, I think the president should agree to debate Gingrich no matter where he finishes in the GOP field. Do you think Gingrich would say no? And isn't it likely that, having telegraphed this racist punch for months, he actually would deliver it in a debate with Obama, to the horror of every non-racist in America, and having given Obama and his campaign months to prepare for it?

If Gingrich actually got his debate with Obama and made plans to say this, he may as well show up in a sheet and a hood. He'll utterly disgrace himself and the GOP. It would be a tremendous boost for Obama. Which is why Obama should get back to Gingrich and say, "Bring it on."