2012 Tuesday: When Barry met Big Bird
Barack Obama leapt to Big Bird’s defense. Big Bird said, no thanks.
If the first debate between Obama and Mitt Romney winds up being a turning point in the election, the episode involving American children’s tallest, yellowest feathered-est friend may prove to be a symbol of what went wrong for the incumbent.
During the Oct. 3 debate, moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS NewsHour asked the candidates for specifics about how they’d tackle the federal debt and deficit. Romney reiterated the test he said he’d use to decide which spending to cut: “Is the program so critical it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it?” For examples, he named Obamacare and then said:
I’m sorry, Jim. I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you too. But I’m not going to — I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for it.
Obama did not address this remark during the debate, but within days his campaign released a short video ad mocking Romney’s position on PBS by comparing Big Bird to Bernie Madoff and saying, “Mitt Romney knows it’s not Wall Street you have to worry about, it’s Sesame Street.”
Never mind that Romney, during the same debate, said the banking industry needs regulation and accurately described the Dodd-Frank financial “reform” bill as the cementing of Too Big To Fail in federal law and thus an enormous sop to the biggest banks. Never mind that Obama’s response to the same question about debt and deficits included a mention of “18 government programs for education” that he’d cut (cutting education funds? but it’s for teh kidz!). Or that Sesame Street is such a merchandising powerhouse that it easily could survive on its own (take it from a dad whose kids have Elmo on their pajamas and Cookie Monster on their diapers, in addition to probably a dozen or more toys, stuffed animals and books with the furry characters on them).
Never mind all that. The Obama campaign decided to make an issue, albeit a fairly minor one, out of saving Big Bird.
Which probably wouldn’t have been a big deal if the Sesame Street Workshop hadn’t issued this response:
Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns. We have approved no campaign ads, and as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down.
As the kids on Twitter would say: Obama campaign #FAIL.
Now, normally anything that keeps the Obama campaign from having to talk about the economy can be seen as a good thing for the incumbent. But getting rejected by Big Bird?
Mockery of mockery aside, this strikes me as a pretty apt summary of why the 70 million people who watched last week’s debate overwhelmingly thought Romney came out as the winner. Here was Romney, on a night when Obama attacked him for not being specific about his plans, making a specific statement about a spending cut he’d make — and one not likely to be popular with his intended audience that night, which very clearly was the small but critical group of undecided moderates in the electorate.
The Obama campaign’s response? Ham-fisted pandering that drew a rebuke from the very cause meant to be championed.
The talk throughout this general-election campaign about likeability has been overplayed because it misses the point. If the electorate wanted the most likeable guy available in the White House, Obama would have been running circles around Romney instead of never, for even a single day, leading the Real Clear Politics average of polls by even 6 percentage points (never by even 5 points since Romney effectively clinched the GOP nomination).
The voters aren’t looking for the guy they’d most like to attend a beer summit with. They’re looking for the guy who can run the country more effectively. Muppet panders, from a candidate who has presided over four consecutive $1,000,000,000,000-plus deficits and the surpassing of the $16,000,000,000,000 mark in federal debt, are not likely to resonate with them.
The race is not over by a long shot, but Obama suddenly has to do more than tread water if he’s going to win.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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481 comments Add your comment
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:16 pm
It just makes sense. Why wouldn’t you want to end a subsidy to PBS? After all it represents 1/100th of one percent of our federal budget. It also represents just 6 hours of Pentagon spending. Waste pure and simple.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 9th, 2012
9:18 pm
AmVet
Turn off the corporate stupidvison and read something …
I read three books in an hour this morning.
1. How I have helped America by Barack Obama
2. Elections, how I was so successful by Ralph Nader
3. The Liberal Guide to Budgeting by Nancy Pelosi
JamVet
October 9th, 2012
9:21 pm
Rafe, you haven’t read a book since you left (graduated?) high school.
And it shows…
JDW
October 9th, 2012
9:22 pm
@td…”I am pretty sure this one is legit since Bookman is currently running the same story as a blog entry and he works for the reliable left AJC”
O’ Dear…I must admit I never got by the Newsbusters tag to even read the story…David Segal…
Now it just so happens I know David…quite well…the man is a fruitcake. He did in fact build a timeshare company and make a bunch of money. Thankfully for David he has a few really good Execs that keep it running because the man is now certifiably insane. BTW…he doesn’t exactly fall into the “Family Values” segment of the population…he and that little blond on his lap (which is a story unto itself) do shall we say…get around. Their parties would make Romans blush.
@@
October 9th, 2012
9:22 pm
HEY!
Big Bird gets a shovel and a pail in that story.
Big Bird wakes early, and sees a brand-new pail and shovel on his mailbox. He’s puzzled by the tag, which reads “Dear Big Bird, I think you’ll know what to do with this! Love, Granny Bird.”
A shovel and a pail?
Pretty apropos, considering.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 9th, 2012
9:24 pm
Mike,
After all it represents 1/100th of one percent of our federal budget. It also represents just 6 hours of Pentagon spending.
Why is not extending the Obama tax cuts for the rich so important to Obama. Only raises something like 70 B a year. How many hours of Pentagon spending will that take care of? Insignificant amount, it will not even fund his “green energy boondoggles” that he spent $90B on.
Linda
October 9th, 2012
9:25 pm
Obama’s debate “performance” was the same thing he did in the Ill. Senate & the US Senate, where he voted Present.
He was merely “present” for the debate.
Didn’t he get a “message” from Michelle during his “performance?”
He was a different guy the next day on the stump with his teleprompter back in place. What a great reader!
JDW
October 9th, 2012
9:26 pm
@Linda…”So, Newsbusters isn’t believable & therefore the letter isn’t believable? ”
Google is your friend…they are Right Wing fruitcakes and now that I realize David Segal is involved the whole thing is surreal.
BTW…if you can…shall we say “measure up” I can arrange an invite to one of his parties. They are something to behold.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 9th, 2012
9:28 pm
And we love picking our winners and losers!
As Romney said, Obama only picks the losers.
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:30 pm
rafe: ALL of the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire. Along with drastic cuts to the world’s most bloated military industrial complex.
We cannot continue to print $1,000,000,000,000.00+/yr.
The “muslim” “enemy” is starting to show some signs of wear. Who will be the next enemy? My money’s on the Chinese.
You remember that we have to have an enemy, don’t you?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 9th, 2012
9:34 pm
“But we DO need to subsidize Apple, Kraft, IBM, Google, McDonalds, Microsoft, Coca Cola, AT&T, Verizon, GE and Walmart.”
——————–
How so? Examples of such subsidies would further the debate here…
And I wonder how many jobs those corporations provide, compared to PBS?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 9th, 2012
9:35 pm
Enter your comments here
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:35 pm
I would be willing to bet that if each American family received a $5,000 – 10,000/year “supplemental” tax bill, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and prospects for future wars in Syria and Iran would come to a screeching halt.
Unfortunately, our government simply prints $1,000,000,000,000.00 a year to cover the costs.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 9th, 2012
9:35 pm
rafe: ALL of the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire. Along with drastic cuts to the world’s most bloated military industrial complex.
Boy, that would be something. In this economy, raising taxes on the downtrodden middle class, would delay the recovery for another decade. What would the real unemployment rate be…25% or so?
@@
October 9th, 2012
9:36 pm
Why is not extending the Obama tax cuts for the rich so important to Obama.
Because it provides happiness to his supporters?
JamVet
October 9th, 2012
9:36 pm
Obama only picks the losers.
Ironic, considering that you are going to vote for one, huh?!
Better luck in 2024…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 9th, 2012
9:36 pm
“You remember that we have to have an enemy, don’t you?”
——————
Obozo and other libtards think it’s productive Americans.
JamVet
October 9th, 2012
9:42 pm
“How so?”
Incredible.
When it comes to playing stupid, big-time, major league playing stupid, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champions of feigned ignorance and fake bewilderment, post-Nixon Republicans.
No contest.
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:43 pm
” In this economy, raising taxes on the downtrodden middle class, would delay the recovery for another decade. What would the real unemployment rate be…25% or so?”
rafe: agreed. However, we are like drug addicts putting off the day of reckoning. Eventually, like it or not, it will come.
iggy
October 9th, 2012
9:46 pm
Obama knows nothing about hard work and thats why he hates normal Americans. Wonder when he will institute the UN Tax code on us all?
iggy
October 9th, 2012
9:48 pm
“What would the real unemployment rate be…25% or so?”
We need to cut and run from the EU, someway/somehow. Then bite the bullet and get it overwith as postponing the inevitable it like the Dutch Tulip Bulb fiasco.
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:51 pm
iggy: President Barack Obama has a law degree from Harvard Law School. I think he knows a little about hard work. What do you have?
iggy
October 9th, 2012
9:53 pm
A law degree? I knew, for some reason, he reminded me of Ken “One call thats all” Nugent.
Having a degree and actually using the knowledge gained from a degree and Worlds apart.
iggy
October 9th, 2012
9:55 pm
Obama is to the USA as Caligula was to Rome or Andy Kaufman was to his audience.
Utter and complete contempt.
PS…Kaufman, one must admit, was a genius.
mike
October 9th, 2012
9:55 pm
Speaking of hard work. Here’s a fellow who knows what hard work is!
http://0.tqn.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/1/c/bush_hard_work_rosie.jpg
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
9:56 pm
As Romney said, Obama only picks the losers.
To be fair that’s not really an Obama phenomenon. If the government has to subsidize something for it to exist it’s pretty much always a loser.
iggy
October 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
Ketchup Boy…LOL!
Linda
October 9th, 2012
9:57 pm
JDW@9:26, You totally evaded the questions. Nothing you said is relevant. What is relevant is that an employer of 7000 people is telling his workers that their jobs, benefits & opportunities are in jeopardy if Obama is re-elected.
That’s the truth. That’s the situation from every company across America, whether the CEO or owner is telling their employees or not, whether the company is incorporated or not, whether the company employs 7000 people or 50.
I believe that Obama is systematically, intentionally destroying the US economy. No one could be that stupid. He knows exactly what he is doing.
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
9:58 pm
Speaking of losers…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2215173/Obama-believed-beaten-Romney-Denver-debate-ignoring-advice-aides.html
Hillbilly D
October 9th, 2012
9:59 pm
I knew, for some reason, he reminded me of Ken “One call thats all” Nugent.
I’d like to see that guy in a cage match with John “The Strong Arm” Foy.
@@
October 9th, 2012
10:00 pm
AmVet:
Did you know that Rocky’s Justice Party isn’t listed among the major third party sites?
He’s got his own blog. You should go over there and comment since nobody else is.
mike
October 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
“If the government has to subsidize something for it to exist it’s pretty much always a loser.”
RW: PBS receives approximately 12% of its budget from the federal government. Somehow I think they can make do without it.
But let us always try to pick the “speck” out of our neighbor’s eye and ignore the military industrial complex plank in our own.
iggy
October 9th, 2012
10:01 pm
“I believe that Obama is systematically, intentionally destroying the US economy. No one could be that stupid. He knows exactly what he is doing”
You, my friend, are Spot-On!! Its completely intentional. After he destroys the USA, he then will seek to be appoointed King of the World.
He wants to tear out the bottom and being the entire house crashing down. Then rebuild a communists State. That is his goal.
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
10:02 pm
Winner takes on Morgan and Morgan, “For the People”
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
10:03 pm
Somehow I think they can make do without it
Whatever would make you think I disagree with that?
Hillbilly D
October 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
Winner takes on Morgan and Morgan, “For the People”
Wouldn’t that be a 2 on 1, handicap match?
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
First Children’s Television Workshop tells Obama to quit using Big Bird in his ads, and then the State Department throws Obama under the bus over the “video caused the Libya riot” lie.
iggy
October 9th, 2012
10:09 pm
In and attempt to bolster his foreign policy stance, Obama and the 57 States of the USA are, at any moment, going to invade, rape and pillage the Country of Rhode Island.
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
10:09 pm
Wouldn’t that be a 2 on 1, handicap match?
The Morgans are handicapped by having a big M and a little organ, but if you insist we’ll let Mr. Wrestling #7 join your team.
JamVet
October 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
If the government has to subsidize something for it to exist it’s pretty much always a loser.
BIG oil, BIG pharma, Big HMOs, BIG agribusiness, BIG DoD contractors and BIG, BIG, BIG banks are not amused…
Linda
October 9th, 2012
10:11 pm
mike(with a little m)@9:51, Prove that Obama has a law degree from the Harvard Law School. For that matter, prove that Obama went to Occidental College or Columbia University. See my comment @3:12.
Tell us who his college classmates, his professors or his buddies were. Tell us who Obama’s neighbors & friends were. Tell us about his family reunions.
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:12 pm
David Burge: “it took a lot of butter knives in a lot of electrical outlets to make Joe Biden the man he is today.”
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:13 pm
David Burge: “Austrian daredevil announces attempt at first supersonic freefall plummet to Earth; Obama: “too late”"
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:15 pm
David Burge: “t will be a great day when our ambassadors have the security they need and millionaire government TV muppets have to hold a bake sale.”
RW-(the original)
October 9th, 2012
10:16 pm
BIG oil, BIG pharma, Big HMOs, BIG agribusiness, BIG DoD contractors and BIG, BIG, BIG banks are not amused…
Have I tapped into some bizarro parallel universe where all the libs suddenly agree with me?
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:16 pm
Taranto: “At least Jimmy Carter didn’t BASE HIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN on the killer rabbit.”
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:17 pm
Taranto: “What is the difference between Obama and Big Bird? One is an imaginary flightless bird, and the other is just a puppet.’
iggy
October 9th, 2012
10:18 pm
“That rabbits dynamite. We dare not risk another frontal assault…”
ragnar danneskjold
October 9th, 2012
10:19 pm
Taranto: “”Sesame Street” could easily get by without subsidies if they raised the sponsorship fee they charge letters and numbers.”
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 9th, 2012
10:21 pm
JamVet: When it comes to playing stupid
———————
And yet you couldn’t provide one example of subsidies to the job creators you cited…