Barack Obama has an October surprise, Jon Stewart says:
He's given up.
It's evident not just from his bad debating last week, but from his fixation on Big Bird, Stewart said on Tuesday's "Daily Show." He pointed to the campaign's "Big Bird" ad, which says Republican Mitt Romney has prioritized cutting PBS funding over chasing Wall Street criminals. It was spawned by Romney's debate remark that he would cut PBS money despite a fondness for Big Bird.
Also read: Jon Stewart and Co. Cut Liberalism From 'Sesame Street' (Video)
The most damning line the ad, according to Stewart? "I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message."
Stewart rolled a clip of "Today" host Matt Lauer and John McCain, the candidate Obama defeated in 2008, chucking over the ad.
"That ad allowed John McCain — John McCain — allowed him to laugh at you. To laugh at you for using a cartoonish, childlike figure to invigorate your campaign," Stewart said, as a shot of Sarah Palin and McCain appeared on the screen. "That's McCain who is saying that."
Worst of all, Stewart said, Obama's campaign won't let the "Sesame Street" issue go. He noted that pop star Will.i.am recently introduced the president with a "half-assed remix" of the show's theme song.
The creators of "Sesame Street" don't appreciate Obama's approach either: They've asked the Obama campaign to take down the Big Bird ad, saying the show is nonpartisan and doesn't involve itself in campaigns.
Watch the video: