People are missing Romney's Big Bird strategy

[Enrique]

I'm not someone that labels all political strategy "brilliant strategy" but it is strategy, and Mitt wasn't the first to use it, it goes back decades.

People seem to think that cutting Big Bird is emblematic of what is wrong with Mitt. I think it is a complete mistake and it completely misses the point about what is wrong with him. In fact I doubt he has any intention to cut Big Bird. Why? Because there is NO MONEY THERE. Mitt Romney is about money, BIG $$$$$$$$$$. Money on an entirely other level than Big Bird. Big Bird is pocket change to Mitt Romney.

It is not about Big Bird, but Mitt wants to make it about Big Bird. The culture wars to distract from what is really going on.

He is setting up a false framing about the election: the pragmatic conservative that is so serious about the deficit that he is willing to take on even a sentimental favorite, vs. the silly liberals that want to borrow from China to pay for a cartoon.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Yes but the last time they tried it with Planned Parenthood

it blew away the support of a whole demographic to their disingenous cause and has almost killed Komen. They had the 3-day walk here in Philly the past couple days (saw the walkers Friday on my way home headed towards downtown). Since about January, they had been heavily advertising the event but a couple months or so after the Komen fiasco, the ads ceased and the organization has been going downhill ever since.

For decades, rethugs usually "talked" a good game to their base but if you look at someone like Raygun's record, they did no such cutting or implementing of the far RW agenda. But I think what has happened since 2010, 2 years after the election of the RW's nightmare scenario of a black President, that base has realized that they have been paid "lip service" all these years and they have now started forcefully demanding ACTUAL destruction of the things they want gone and implementation of their agenda, and this massive push has finally signaled chickens that are coming home to roost within the GOP.

I.e., for 30 years, they have riled up their scum base and then when they were elected, they shoved them aside. And now that base wants "theirs". And realistically, they know that this country would never (at least at this time) go for such extremism, and they have lost their way regarding how to move to the "center" when the monster they created drove away their centrists and coddled the foaming-at-the-mouth shock jocks who push for more and more extremism.

[lunatica]

3. Good analysis. Succinct and to the point

[renie408]

5. In Charlotte the Komen Walk for the Cure just had a record number of

participants. I wouldn't say Komen is dead or even close.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Maybe where you are but

they have had a horrible time this year. They had a significant drop-off in the Race for the Cure here in Philadelphia back in May -

http://articles.philly.com/2012-05-11/news/31656173_1_defunding-decision-susan-g-komen-race-nancy-brinker

The Chicago 3-day also had a reduced turnout -

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-10/news/chi-turnout-down-for-komen-walk-amid-controversy-20120810_1_susan-g-komen-komen-spokeswoman-breast-cancer

Alternately, the National Breast Cancer Foundation has upped their solicitations - I have gotten a number of calls from them the past couple weeks and Planned Parenthood has upped their ad buys in swing states -

http://battlegroundwatch.com/2012/09/10/planned-parenthood-making-record-ad-buy/

I.e., the rethug insistence on politicizing women's health and children's well-being is finally being driven home and will have repercussions.

[msanthrope]

8. Yep--you know they didn't even close the whole Parkway, like they normally do??? Just in front

of the steps.

[bigtree]

9. makes sense

. . . and it's a bit disturbing to imagine these folks actually believe the stuff they say they want and the things they say they believe about other Americans. I guess, tho, that would explain why the republican party is so hyper-wacko these days; more and more of their favorite fruitcakes are making it into the House.

[Enrique]

12. good point

that gets at what I'm talking about, is this something they are actually going to do.

But I would respond, look who they have in Congress now, especially the House. They just had the intense debt ceiling negotiations, they got something like 1 trillion in cuts, and yet PBS still exists. Why is that, is that because Obama drew the line with Big Bird and they need Romney to get the job done? No, that's not the way it was at all. It was not the GOP attacking PBS and the Dems defending it, it wasn't even on the table as far as I know. If I missed the PBS fight during those negotiations, let me know.

[lunatica]

2. I think he used Big Bird as an example because he thought it was an easy example

He's not bright. He probably made sure Sesame Street was banned in his house because he doesn't like the message of love and acceptance and inclusiveness it gives. He doesn't go home after a day as a CEO to be confronted with liberal ideas at home. He's a CEO all the time.

[Bucky]

4. Interesting responses. I thought "Big Bird" was a dog-whistle to education hating Republicans

I don't think it was a very effective dog whistle, but non-dogs like me always tend to think that.

[Denzil_DC]

6. Nah. It was a cheap, tonedeaf zinger that's backfired badly

It's part of the Republicans' war on public broadcasting. But it also opens up all sorts of discussions about funding priorities and is a great example of his pettiness, cutting through the crap about his being a clear-headed businessman.

The Big Bird threat's a fun meme with long legs that resonates with a lot of people. Let's put it this way: If he'd just threatened to sack Lehrer, nobody would be bothered. He's going to pay for it in November.

[ProSense]

15. Parents posting videos of children crying

Mitt you're a mean desperate asshole.

[lame54]

7. great strategy...

Now BB is the face of the election

Good night mitt

[99Forever]

10. I don't agree.

He's already "got big money." More money than he and his wretched spawn could spend in a thousand lifetimes.

It isn't even about being POTUS. It's ALL about "winning," at all costs. If it isn't clear yet to someone, that this sociopath will do or say ANYTHING to "win," not just this election, but everything he is involved in, they just don't see him for what he is. While the rest of us get that millions are suffering and dying because of the shitty way our government is malfunctioning, to him and his evil ilk, it's just a game.

[BeyondGeography]

13. It was camouflage for his move to the center during the debate

Put it right up front as junk food for the wingnuts so they could reflect back on it every time he departed from Randian doctrine.

[ProSense]

14. 51% of voters say they support federal funding for PBS to 33% who are opposed to it.

The most discussed issue in the wake of the debate Wednesday night has been about funding for public broadcasting. 51% of voters say they support federal funding for PBS to 33% who are opposed to it. Democrats (80/8) strongly support funding, Republicans (22/55) strongly oppose it, and independents (50/37) come pretty close to matching the overall numbers. We also asked about Big Bird himself and while he's a popular figure overall with a 51/11 favorability rating even his reviews have become somewhat partisan with Democrats (58/11) rating him a lot higher than Republicans (37/12).

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/10/obama-lead-down-to-2-in-wisconsin.html

Independents support it, and even 22 percent of Republicans support it.

Brilliant!!!

[ecstatic]

16. For me, it further highlights his cruelty and harsh disregard of the 98%

At first the Big Bird thing was silly to me, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought--hey, I was a latch key kid who had a strong foundation of letters and numbers, and even some reading prior to starting preschool thanks to Sesame Street! And THIS is what Rmoney considers "waste" and plans to "get rid of" in order to let Donald Trump keep more pocket change!?

Sesame Street is one of the most effective supplemental learning tools available to kids--including a lot of kids who have no other educational resources available in the home. He's either cruel or extremely out of touch.