(CNN) – This is one angry bird.
After President Barack Obama's campaign released a commercial using the Sesame Street character to mock rival Mitt Romney, Big Bird's parents at Sesame Workshop asked the president's team to take it down.
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"Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns," the group wrote. "We have approved no campaign ads, and as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down."
Whether the ad airs or not remains in question – Team Obama indicated Tuesday it would air on national broadcast and cable, specifically targeting comedy shows, rather than in the usual swing states where campaigns purchase ad time. But the ad is getting plenty of free air time on newscasts as part of campaign coverage.
An Obama campaign official said they had received Sesame Workshop's statement and were reviewing their concerns.
The commercial itself is dripping with sarcasm, a tone not usually used in political commercials. It casts Big Bird as a corporate fiend akin to Bernie Madoff and Kenneth Lay.
"Criminals. Gluttons of greed," a narrator in the spot says of the notorious white collar criminals. "And the evil genius who towered over them?"
A silhouette of the famous yellow bird appears in a window, before the ad cuts to clips of Romney saying "Big Bird" on the stump.
"One man has the guts to say his name," the narrator says. "Big. Yellow. A menace to our economy. Mitt Romney knows it's not Wall Street you have to worry about, it's Sesame Street. Mitt Romney. Taking on our enemies, no matter where they nest."
At last week's debate, Romney said he would cut the federal subsidy to the Public Broadcasting Service, which airs Sesame Street, in order to help reduce the country's deficit.
Romney said Tuesday Obama's focus on the remark was puzzling given the serious issues facing the nation.
"I know there is a lot of attention being paid to the campaign these days and there is a good reason for that. I mean when you have so many people having tough times," Romney said at a campaign rally in Iowa.
"I mean these are tough times with real serious issues so you have to scratch your head when the president spends the last week talking about saving Big Bird," Romney continued to cheers and laughter. "I actually think we need to have a president who talks about saving the American people and saving good jobs and saving our future."
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Big Bird the focus in sarcastic new Obama ad
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Well of course Parent Company of Corporate Disney is a Mitt Romney Supporter dont want their Bird standing with President Obama, its all about Profits and Greed at all costs for the Republicans..
@rob: very intelligent come back. Welcome to America, where every opinions count including your liberal views. Glad to know that you can smell yourself.
You will remain clueless. The president won the Nobel peace prize trying to end two wars started be Republicans. And here you are still clueless that if Romney gets elected, you can be sure he will starts a new war in Iran. So you are better off clueless as you will always be bring screwed and still clueless.
Big Bird's a fiscal Republican. PBS' "Sesame Street" gathered $126 net million last year. Maybe "Sesame Street" should a show for the Obama administration on the "ABC's" of economics!
All politics aside, the commercial is just plain hysterical.
Bird Bird does not need government funds, they make more in advertising then is needed. When PBS starts reporting the news without bias, then an only then can they call themselves PBS.
Big birds mad and the "count " is furious..he cant fathom the amount of money Obama has wasted on our national debt! and green energy wasted investments
big bird doesn't need our money....hundreds of millions in merchandise sales and big bird and the rest of the crew are part of the Jim Henson empire.....he'll be fine.
With all due respect, Mr. Mitt Romney you cannot say that President Obama is running around the country and not talking about the real issues because he keeps talking about 'Big Bird.
The reason everyone is running around the country and talking about "Big Bird", is because you opened up the subject publicily during your first presidential debate with President Obama.
The reason this is trending so high, is that people really can't believe (stunned actually) Romney is actually targeting PBS and Big Bird to help address the deficit. He should actually have said what he would really cut, then his position could be evaluated.
The Democratic Party is going to the birds.
Hoo Rah to Big Bird, put obama in his place, this wanna be obama thinks he can do as he pleases, put him down Big Bird, join the revolution to stop the treasonous ways of obama.
Time for BO & CO to pack it up. As helpful concerned Americans let’s all mail the White House an empty cardboard box to put his stuff in.
Who else would Romney affect in his presidency if he said he would take off the big bird from public TV. I have no clue as to who he stands for?
This is an attempt to use Big Bird as a defection from the Big Boom that is coming down on the administration about the cover-up surrounding the death of our ambassador in Libya. Watch closely and read between the lines. Our President and our State Dept were totally inept and lied to our faces. I am outraged, appalled and frankly, a little nervous. Forget Big Bird!
Everyone take it easy dont get up tight the public donate. To PBS
"""Ever check out to see what a Community Organizer does?""
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Yes, they specialize in victim creation.
The Bird and his cronies have enough money to take care of themselves. If they were "patriots" according to Joe Biden, they would discontinue taking money from the government.
Good for Sesame Street.
The ObamaPhone Lady could use a little remedial time on Sesame Street.
I can hear her now: One, Two, FREE
@PatricksDay...
FYI, The Walt Disney Company is owned by the Jobs family...as in Steve Jobs.
Big Bird much like Obambi is on the verge of extinction! Good riddance.
And another day of Big Bird at the top of the Ticker.... unbelievable. Let's just fry up Big Bird and put this nonsense to rest.
Hey CNN, where's the Ticker story about all the lies the Obama administration told the American people about the Libyan attack that killed 4 Americans including our ambassador? Wouldn't want to call attention to yet more incompetence from the Obama administration would we?
Big bird is correct.. They dont need Federal Funding.. And they certainly dont need Federal Funding to PAKISTAN to air Big Bird.. Millions were sent there when our education is failing here.. go figure...
And of course Obama and company told Big Bird "I'll do what I want with you – you work for me!". How dare anyone question the One and how he runs his campaign!