What should be the response?

Yesterday, Congressman Newt Gingrich came into to North Carolina to raise money and fired a few shots at Senator Edwards. In the course of the evening, Gingrich challenged Edwards to a debate about poverty. The full newspaper article and details of the debate can be found here.

Personally, I can not believe Gingrich would want to get into another debate. Perhaps, he forgot the way President Clinton embarrassed him during their debate on Medicare. But from his comments, it looks like his whole attack will be an assault on teachers and poor management of schools.

Now, we can all agree some schools that are poorly managed. But many just do not have the funds to educate the students. That is beside the point of why I think Senator Edwards should accept this challenge.

The main reason is that Gingrich will expect Edwards to have the same old liberal tax and spend answers. Edwards’s ideas on minimum wage, matched savings accounts, and college credit are real programs not tired campaign themes.

I would want the debate on CNN or MSNBC. Instead of just a few reporters witness the event, let the nation decide the winner. It would give Senator Edwards the opportunity to show off the leader that he is, and prove he has real solutions to the problems we are facing.

Of course, I am no political strategist. But it is just my personal opinion. What do you think?