Sesame Street wants Big Bird out of Obama ad
This is one of those days when you suspect that the 2012 presidential campaign is working off a script generated by a room of underpaid and, perhaps, under-performing gag writers. From the Associated Press:
NEW YORK — President Barack Obama deployed Big Bird in a new campaign ad Tuesday mocking Mitt Romney’s vow to end federal funding for public broadcasting. Romney’s campaign dismissed it as an example of Obama being small-minded while the foundation behind Big Bird’s program, “Sesame Street,” asked that the ad be taken down.
The satirical spot, set to air on national broadcast and cable TV stations, shows images of convicted financiers, including Bernie Madoff and Enron’s Ken Lay, and suggests Romney thinks Big Bird is behind their crimes.
“Only one man has the guts to speak his name,” the ad says.
Romney said in last week’s nationally televised debate with Obama that he liked Big Bird but would, if elected, end federal subsidies for the Public Broadcasting Service to help balance the budget. PBS airs “Sesame Street.”
Obama seized on that comment the day after the debate and has used it every day since to poke at Romney.
“He’ll get rid of regulations on Wall Street, but he’s going to crack down on Sesame Street. Thank goodness somebody is finally cracking down on Big Bird,” Obama joked at a campaign rally in Madison, Wis., the day after the debate, as his audience roared with laughter. “Who knew that he was responsible for all these deficits? Elmo has got to watch out.”
But Sesame Workshop, which supports “Sesame Street,” didn’t see it as a laughing matter.
“Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns,” the organization said in a terse, two-sentence statement. “We have approved no campaign ads and, as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down.”
Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said the campaign was reviewing Sesame Workshop’s concerns.
Romney’s campaign countered that the ad shows Obama is focusing on inconsequential matters rather than the urgent issues voters care about, like the economy and unemployment.
“Right now you’ve got 23 million Americans struggling to find work,” spokesman Kevin Madden told reporters Tuesday. “I just find it troubling that the president’s message, the president’s focus 28 days from Election Day, is Big Bird.”
PBS receives a portion of its funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives an annual appropriation from Congress. In 2012, CPB received $445 million in federal funding. PBS said in a news release after last week’s presidential debate that public broadcasting receives about one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the federal budget.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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124 comments Add your comment
I dropped my fried twinkie
October 9th, 2012
9:33 pm
@CHUCK….Yes, being a Marxist or Socialist is very much a matter of Substance for a man that is going to Lead the US. The Muslim thing could be if he feels the need to give comfort and aid to Enemies of the Us that want to kill us and destroy our way of life.
Chuck Hendrix
October 9th, 2012
9:41 pm
The American public is forced to supplicate and acquiesce to political powers whose fundamental desire is to monopolize the wealth and influence over the masses. We are subjected to overwhelming ignorance from a small group who deems themselves of such importance that our own views, ideas, and insights are summarily ignored. There are simple and concise ideas that would move our nation forward and create vast numbers of jobs while saving our environment, yet we are subjected to the rule of small groups of people, who direct our future through their own narrow views.
The American public has no ability to influence the direction of our nation while remaining enslaved to the philosophy of greed and obscene political derision that veils the truth. Deception, omission of facts, and outright lies permeate the political arena.
In the past when elections were held and those elected took office, they did not attempt to facilitate failure of the current administration. They did not intentionally obstruct the governing process within Congress. They did not set a priority of a political party to make sure the President was not re-elected as their number one priority. In the past our elected officials worked towards making things better not worse. In the past, our elected officials worked to make things better for the people that elected them, not a political party. In the past, our elected officials debated the issues of governing, not place of birth, religion, past acquaintances, nor education of the President. In the past elected officials did not sit back on the sidelines and laugh at their own constituents’ gullibility about place of birth and never openly say it was a load of dung that Congress should instead focus on the real issues.
They accepted false controversies with open arms if they believed it would facilitate their number one priority. They wanted animosity and opposition in any form it came. Their behavior and actions are deplorable not to mention un-American.
Remove the blinders. Anyone that has been paying attention knows that the current Administration has been opposed at every turn. The recovery process has been slow but not because of a lack of effort of the Obama Administration. I would suggest it is because that is exactly what some in office wanted to ensure they could meet their “top” priority. If little or nothing gets accomplished, Republicans thought they could push Obama out of a re-election bid. It back fired. People have seen the obstructionism. They have taken note and they will vote accordingly. No sane person would ever vote for somebody that had intentionally obstructed the governing process because of party loyalty over the people of America.
Ignorance is bliss. Sure seem to be a lot of blissful Republicans these days.
Scrivener
October 9th, 2012
9:42 pm
Chuck Hendrix, while trying to belittle Pam Rutherford you showed yourself to be not only a jerk but not all that bright yourself. Neither rocket scientist nor socialist is capitalized. For that matter, neither is republican. I only point that out because you chose to put someone else down for being “dumb.” Don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house, buddy.
Chuck Hendrix
October 9th, 2012
9:52 pm
Scrivener I suggest you get a proper education before making a vain attempt at questioning mine. Capitalization of a title, be it Socialist or Rocket Scientist, or Republican is perfectly acceptable in written English.
I dropped my fried twinkie
October 9th, 2012
9:54 pm
Wow the republicans obstructed obama’s attempt to push the Republic of the United States to become the United Socialists States. Yes, I am glad the republicans did that.
Chuck Hendrix
October 9th, 2012
10:04 pm
Typical . Someone claiming that Obama is pushing to make America a socialist country that has never even bothered to look up the definition of what a socialist is. You are most assuredly qualified to be a member of the Republican Party.
double
October 9th, 2012
10:06 pm
What would a copycat know?
Scrivener
October 9th, 2012
10:09 pm
“Scrivener I suggest you get a proper education before making a vain attempt at questioning mine. Capitalization of a title, be it Socialist or Rocket Scientist, or Republican is perfectly acceptable in written English.”
Wrong. And BTW, I have an extensive education in punctuation and spelling. In fact, that was required as part of my 30-year career. But it’s clear from your posts that you seem to enjoy making up your own facts.
Catherine
October 9th, 2012
10:25 pm
@Everybody else but Crazy Chuck… Thanks Chuck for telling me and others here what we are
We all on this blog have special names for you as well. I think you might need some fresh air since you now take up 1/4 of all the posts on this blog..Take a much needed break.
Chuck Hendrix
October 9th, 2012
11:03 pm
@Scrivener Sure thing. You can claim to be anything you want. You can claim to be an Astronaut if you like. We both know better. You could possess a Masters in BS, but I seriously doubt anything more than that.
bob
October 9th, 2012
11:50 pm
Kris…obama will lose and you can go to hell with him.
honested
October 9th, 2012
11:54 pm
Don’t worry everyone.
After robme loses on November 6 and goes back to his permanent campaign for whatever is his turn, Big Bird will be safe again and President Obama can continue digging us out from the bush depression.
Taxes will increase, but everyone with a brain knows ‘there is no free lunch’ so those who have benefited the most should be happy to paying the most.
Obama 2012!
Driverdale
October 10th, 2012
2:28 am
One of Romneys quests is for people to self fund their own retirement. How does he expect people who make 25,000 a year be able to do that? Bain Capital shafted the employees of the companies it manipulated while giving their ” investors” and partners of Bain Capital proper indecent profits. And Mitt was given a humongous severance/retirement package. Bain capital (read Romney) was and is no better than the proverbial corner shell game hustler.
If Romney wasn’t able to save for retirement with his millions he made from Bain Capital, how does he expect the average citizen to?
Buckhead Boy
October 10th, 2012
4:27 am
td, Mr. Siegel is well known for bullying his employees, even placing writings critical of Democrats in with their paychecks and “surveying” them as to voting. Hollow threats to leave the country are quite common among reactionary fanatics — that is, when they are not suggesting that those with whom they disagree leave. I’m sure that you remember Mr. Limbaugh making such a threat if the Affordable Care Act became law. He is still waddling around Florida, isn’t he? Thank you for reminding us that the persuasiveness of some never develops beyond, “I’m taking my ball and leaving if you don’t play the game by my rules”.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns and Elections – Georgia Politics, Campaigns & Elections for October 10, 2012 – Georgia Pundit
October 10th, 2012
7:50 am
[...] Workshop, the organization behind Sesame Street, has asked President Obama’s campaign to pull its ads featuring Big Bird. “Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or [...]
Politically Viral: Videos to Watch | Farai Chideya
October 10th, 2012
9:40 am
[...] remarks… which some political observers are calling too glib; others think is just right. (Sesame Street Workshops wants the ad pulled. But it’ll live on evermore on [...]
Steph
October 10th, 2012
10:52 am
Okay… did everyone forget about the “Joe the plumber” references in the last election… this is no different. BTW. Romney started this all by bringing up this nonesense in the debate (which is no place for a discussion about PBS)
Why not make fun of Romney’s foolish statement…?
Retired Soldier
October 10th, 2012
11:03 am
Steph-
How do you justify spending millions of tax payer dollars, 40 cents of those dollars are borrowed, to support an activity that is worth hundreds of nillions of dollars?
Steph
October 10th, 2012
11:11 am
Retired Soldier, I don’t justify anything. I am simply a voter just like you!
But since we are asking the hard questions, how do republicans justify being HUGE liars and blaming the president for the mess that BUSH left for him?? BTW, since you are quoting numbers…exactly how would YOU have resolved the problem? NOT what was wrong with what Obama did…but WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE? Republicans have been unable to answer this question sufficiently for nearly four years, and my guess is.. you dont have a clue! Have a nice day!
Steph
October 10th, 2012
11:14 am
Retired soldier… let’s not forget about the two WARS, I wonder how much THAT cost?? HUMMMMMM.
Retired Soldier
October 10th, 2012
11:57 am
Steph-
No one says Obama didn’t come in during difficult times, but he hasn’t made them better. He hasn’t done what he said he would do. Don’t give the the line it was worse than he thought, all the “bad news was out by the time he was sworn in.
I would have resolved the problems in several ways, first I wouldn’t have spent the first two years passing national health care, I would have focused on jobs. Second I would have drasticily reduced govt spending, including closing a number of departments. Energy, education, home land security would be a good start. Third I would have followed Bush’s path out of Iraq (like Obama did) but also left Afghanistan instead of doubling down like Obama did. I would not have spent a penny in Libya.Finally I would have NOT bailed out the car companies, let them go bankrupt, like they finally did, and save that money that is still owed. No QE by the Fed.
How is that for a start?
LMAO
October 10th, 2012
12:49 pm
http://www.politicolnews.com/romney-ties-to-allen-stanford-ponzi-scheme-as-partners/
Steph
October 10th, 2012
12:54 pm
Retired Soldier… LOL! Not bailed out the car companies, huh?? Well how many jobs do you think that would have created?? OH that’s right, NONE!! Hahahaaaa… this is hilarious. Oh and, EXACTLY which departments would YOU close? The ones that care for seniors or the one to help low income children?? HEHEHEEEE Republicans are laughable, and so is your answer. So you would reduce spending for Energy, Education and Homeland Security?? Really??? That is even more laughable than the previous statement! What you have given me are the SAME talking points your republican counterparts have… NADA, zilch, zippo (and I dont mean the lighter..LOL) BTW… WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN IN TWO WARS! (Money, Money, and More Money) But that is neither here nor there. It was nice chatting, but I have work to do. Good luck and I pray your man Romney does NOT win this election. (God help us all if he does! Especially the elderly and low income families)
Retired Soldier
October 10th, 2012
1:51 pm
No jobs would have been created, it would have saved the taxpayers a lot of money.
I don’t think energy has anything to do with children or seniors. How many children does the Dept of Education educate? zero.
Glad you are so reasonable, you really need to go back to work, under Obama you can never be sure how long you will have a job.