Katie's already caught you up to speed on the Obama campaign's frivolous Big Bird ad, which has gotten them laughed at and slapped with a cease and desist request from Sesame Street. When I first saw the new spot, I really thought it was a spoof produced for Conan or Colbert. No sir; it was an official OFA ad, approved by the president himself. Oh, good. We've got 23 million Americans out of work, a national debt charging toward $17 trillion, poverty rates and food stamp usage at all-time highs, and a dangerous conflagration in the Middle East -- yet this president is trying to score cheap points with sub-moronic arguments about Muppets. Watch our Commander-in-Chief try to convince himself that this Elmo joke is chuckle-worthy:
Not only are Obama's comments small and trivial, they're also inaccurate. Obama suggests that Romney wants to let Wall Street "run wild." Let's recall what the governor actually said about regulations and Wall Street reform during the debate that Obama wishes he could erase (yet his campaign can't stop talking about):
Romney describes the importance of smart, up-to-date, reasonable regulation, then assails a few specific elements of the Obama-Dodd-Frank regulatory regime that are having adverse effects on industries and the economy. Romney's response is nuanced, detailed, and sensible -- a far cry from Obama's "let Wall Street run amok while roasting Big Bird on a spit" caricature. Also, the Republican is absolutely correct that Sesame Street is more than capable of thriving without taxpayer dollars -- which, if you hadn't noticed, aren't exactly abundant these days. The Romney test is whether federal spending items are so crucial that they're worth borrowing money from China to fund them. With all respect, Big Bird isn't, and doesn't need to be, on that list. Ask yourself: Which of these two men appears to possess the knowledge and seriousness to repair our economic mess? I understand that Team Obama is desperate to change the subject now that they're trailing in the RCP average for the very first time, but Burt and Ernie aren't the ticket. The childish Big Bird ad is something that a SuperPAC or committee might run as a throwaway in July. We're in crunch time now, with many legitimately serious issues on the table. This petty little side-show from Team Obama shows that they're flailing right now. I'll leave you with this RNC infographic mocking Obama's priorities:
UPDATE - Pathetic:
Jen Psaki says Pres Obama the "only candidate in this race who is going to continue to fight for Big Bird & Elmo."
I'm reminded of something a certain someone once said:
"You make big elections about small things." Yup.
UPDATE II - Mitt responds. Well played: