A week after Big Bird became an unlikely character in the 2012 presidential campaign when Mitt Romney uttered his name in the first debate, the Obama campaign has approved a new ad that uses the "Sesame Street" character to attack the Republican nominee's plan to cut federal funding for PBS.

"Bernie Madoff. Ken Lay. Dennis Kozlowski. Criminals. Gluttons of greed," a voice-over reads in the new 30-second TV spot produced by Obama for America. "And the evil genius who towered over them? One man has the guts to speak his name."

Clips of Romney saying "Big Bird" in his stump speeches follow.

"Mitt Romney knows it's not Wall Street you have to worry about—it's 'Sesame Street,'" the narrator continues. "Mitt Romney: Taking on our enemies, no matter where they nest."

The producers of "Sesame Street" released a statement on Tuesday, saying they asked the Obama campaign to pull the ad.

"Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns," Sesame Workshop said in a statement. "We have approved no campaign ads, and as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down."

Read more here. 

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PAUL RYAN WALKS OUT OF INTERVIEW AFTER "STRANGE" QUESTION...

An ABC reporter apparently rubbed Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan the wrong way when he asked him a question concerning gun laws and taxes, which triggered Ryan to abruptly walk out of the interview.  

The gun-touting congressman was in the middle of an interview with ABC 12 in Flint, Michigan, when the reporter asked him, "Does this country have a gun problem?" 

Ryan responded that more gun laws aren't needed and that the ones already in place need to be enforced.

The ABC reporter responded with a question correlating gun violence and taxes, asking, "And you can do all that by cutting taxes? By...with a big tax cut?"

That's when Ryan retorted, "Those are your words, not mine," and one of his staffers jumped in to abruptly end the interview, telling the reporter, "Thank you very much, Sir."

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