Based on the results contained in a number of polls that have been released in recent days, it is clear that the 70 million Americans who watched the first debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama believe that Romney provided more substantive answers than Obama. Given that fact, it is beyond baffling that the Obama campaign's response to the growing national realization that Obama is devoid of a plan for America's future has been to champion, wait for it, Big Bird!
If you haven't seen it yet, here's the 'Big Bird' advertisement the Chicago brain trust put together to combat Romney's surge in the polls.
Here's how Kyle Wingfield, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's 30-something conservative, analyzes the ad in "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.
And then, after giving a brief history of the sad attempt by the Obama camp to camouflage the worst debate performance in modern history with yellow feathers, Wingfield notes that even Big Bird doesn't want to be aligned with Obama, as reflected by this statement from PBS today.
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.
Is it any wonder Wingfield concludes:
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.
By the way. Facts matter. And these facts should inform any debate about whether Big Bird needs any dollars borrowed from China that will have to be paid back by the children now watching PBS.
Sesame Workshop received $44,984,003 in royalties last year, which includes sales of Sesame Street brand merchandise like "Tickle Me Elmo" dolls. That means Big Bird made five times in merchandise sales than what he received in government grants.
For more, see "Big Bird's a one-percenter: Inside Sesame Street's tax return."
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