A Twitter avatar of the Sesame Street character Big Bird has fired back at Romney. @BigBirdRomney tweets back

One clear loser of the first presidential debate? Big Bird, the tall, feathery Sesame Street character that GOP candidate Mitt Romney suggested he’d eliminate as part of cutting funding to initiatives like PBS, the channel that airs the children’s show. Within moments of the show’s mention in the debate, a Twitter account featuring a forlorn-looking Big Bird surfaced.

( Also on POLITICO: Mitt to Lehrer: I'll pull PBS funding)


“I wonder if birds go to heaven. ‘Sigh.’” tweeted @BigBirdRomney Wednesday night.

The Twitter handle arose after Romney said, to debate moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS, “I’m sorry, Jim, I’m gonna stop the subsidy to PBS… I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you, too.”

But by the end of the night, @BigBirdRomney had moved from dejection to defiance.

“How can Mitt #Romney cut Big Bird if #PBS is supported BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. #BOOM. #BIGBIRDISBACK,” the account tweeted.

Some other memorable Big Bird tweets:

Today’s show was brought to you by the 47%. #NationalBigBirdDay #BigBird— Big Bird (@BigBirdRomney) October 4, 2012

Romney 2012.Soft on Wall Street…..Tough on Sesame Street.— Big Bird (@BigBirdRomney) October 4, 2012

Obama killed Osama Bin Laden.Romney wants to kill Big Bird. I think that says enough. #FactCheck.— Big Bird (@BigBirdRomney) October 4, 2012

Move over Angry Birds. Big Bird is here, and he’s pissed.— Big Bird (@BigBirdRomney) October 4, 2012