Is the presidential campaign of 2012 the best thing that happened to Big Bird since the grownups found out Mr. Snuffleupagus was real?
Since last week’s first presidential debate, the iconic yellow bird of early childhood has been enjoying a surge of popularity that started with Republican nominee Mitt Romney saying he would cut federal spending, in part, by axing the subsidy that helps pay for “Sesame Street” and other public-television programming. Following that statement, there were instant Twitter accounts created to save Big Bird’s job and, within days, the Sesame Street staple made an appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”
Today, the wave of attention for Big Bird reached new heights as the Obama campaign released an ad that bashes Romney. Politics K-12 blogger Alyson Klein has all the details on the ad, and the latest wrinkle in the story. The Sesame Street Workshop has asked the campaign to pull the ad, saying it does not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns.