Even liberal commentators are having a tough time justifying a 30-second Obama campaign ad mocking Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s opposition to public financing for “Sesame Street.”
Panelists on Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” agreed that the Big Bird ad is petty and shows “weakness.”
Former advertising executive and show regular Donny Deutsch said it remains to be seen if President Barack Obama can land a counterpunch on Romney, now that he finds himself behind after his lackluster debate performance last week.
“We have never seen Obama having to fight,” Deutsch said. “We’ve always seen him gliding along the top. It’s always kind of been wind at his back. I use the world ‘gestalt,’ I’ll talk about soul. What we are gonna really see about this guy, what people are tuning in and leaning in — can he counterpunch? We’ve never seen him in the position: you’ve been called out; what do you got? And we’re really going to see what’s in those intestines here.”
The Huffington Post’s Sam Stein then called into question his ability, pointing to the Big Bird ad as an ineffective counter punch.
“This is what is so demoralizing,” Stein said. “His counterpunch has been Big Bird. What is that? That’s not exactly the most deep counterpunch you can have.” (RELATED: Fox commentators rip ‘trivial,’ ‘out-of-touch’ Obama Big Bird ad)
Scarborough agreed with that assessment, with Deutsch insisting the Obama campaign pull the ad down immediately.
SCARBOROUGH: I agree with, Sam, though. They’re like, focusing on Big Bird. Really?
DEUTSCH: Get that ad off the air. Get that ad off the air immediately.
STEIN: The ad is not on the air. The ad was made for cable news.
DEUTSCH: Get it off the air immediately. It shows such weakness. It really, really does.