In another snub to America's children, the Republican challenger will avoid pandering to kids in order to focus on their parents

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

First, Mitt Romney threatened to cut funding to Big Bird. Now, in another campaign-strategy foul against the voters of tomorrow, his campaign has announced he has turned down a request to appear on Nickelodeon's election special.

The children's channel launched the show, Kids Pick the President: The Candidates, in 1988. Candidates answer videotaped questions from children, and then viewers can vote for their choice of president in an online poll. In five of the past six presidential elections, child voters chose the same candidate as the eventual winner of the adult poll.

President Barack Obama accepted an invitation to appear this year. Nickelodeon said it would use file clips of Romney addressing some of the issues raised in the questions posed by viewers.

Linda Ellerbee, host of Nick News, said she was disappointed by the Romney team's decision.

"I would be equally disappointed if he had said yes and Obama said no," Ellerbee told the Guardian. "It's not a personal thing, it's just a shame when both candidates don't see it as something important."

Only two other presidential-hopefuls have refused invitations to the show. John Kerry declined the offer in 2004 and George W Bush withdrew in response. He had participated in 2000.

The network said Nick News reached out to Romney several times since April, but his campaign told the program he couldn't fit the appearance in his schedule.

"I am still holding the door open until midnight October 14, I can work all night and cut the show and get him in. We'll meet him anywhere," Ellerbee said.

The special will air on 15 October on Nickelodeon.

Obama answered questions about the top campaign issues of this year's election for the special and responded to the kids' questions about jobs, same-sex marriage, illegal immigration and gun control. He also talked about heartbreak and his most embarrassing moment, said the network.

"Running into the wall is par for the course for me," the president said. "I'm running into doors and desks all the time."

Kids Pick the President sets out to increase children's understanding and awareness of the election, candidates and campaign issues and will announce the poll results on-air Monday, 22 October.

The Romney campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

In the first presidential debate last week, Romney provoked anger from another bastion of children's television – Sesame Street. The 43-year-old television show is a staple of PBS, which provides free, educational programming to US televisions.

During the debate, Romney said: "I'm going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually I like you, too. But … I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for [it]."

This comment initiated waves of social media mockery and prompted a defensive response from the network.

"As a stated supporter of education, Governor Romney should be a champion of public broadcasting, yet he is willing to wipe out services that reach the vast majority of Americans, including underserved audiences, such as children who cannot attend preschool and citizens living in rural areas," PBS said.

PBS also noted that most of their funding is provided by local member stations which raise their own money in addition to the federal funding they receive.