Rick Santorum: 'Sesame Street' Lobby Plays Hardball To Protect Public Broadcasting

Former Pennsylvania senator and potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said Tuesday that the GOP's plans to eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting were likely to be futile, largely due to the powerful "Barney" and "Sesame Street" contingents who support the organization.

"And one of the tough things always -- when I came to Congress, I was one of the guys that said we gotta cut the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It wasn't necessary anymore," Santorum said on Fox News.

But driving that initiative wasn't easy, Santorum said, since "the 'Barney' contingent came out and the 'Sesame Street' contingent came out, and these are programs that are popular among families and so they hit you pretty hard."

Republicans have placed the CPB, which provides funding to public radio and television stations such as NPR and PBS -- the parent station of "Sesame Street" and "Barney" -- on the chopping block in their proposed budget.

WATCH via GOP 12:

Comments

[YOKEL13]

03:45 PM on 02/17/2011

This guy could make a lot of money selling "Santorum in a Bottle"!

[YOKEL13]

03:36 PM on 02/17/2011

"... and these are programs that are popular among families and so they hit you pretty hard."

Yeah, those "families" really play hardball, don't they, jackazz!

[Edward Standley]

09:36 AM on 02/17/2011

Public television and radio will survive regardless. This little dust-up is worth it even if it only proves to the unenlightened that the cons fear an educated public.

[plcsail]

09:12 AM on 02/17/2011

SaintScrotum's problem with the CPB is that isn't controlled by corporate giants, is too thorough and honest, and isn't infested with corporate commercials.

[plcsail]

09:15 AM on 02/17/2011

oops, typo......is that it isnt controlled........I'm a little groggy this morning, long day yesterday.

[YOKEL13]

03:37 PM on 02/17/2011

I can relate.... I'm a little dizzy myself because these GOPster jackazzes make my head spin.

[KrisLK]

09:10 AM on 02/17/2011

What a political picture: Santorum & the GOP fighting to destroy Big Bird, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch.
I'd pay-for-view to see this on WWE.

[YOKEL13]

03:38 PM on 02/17/2011

More fodder for the 2012 campaign ads: "GOPsters put Elmo in crosshairs!"

[Carl Caroli]

08:35 AM on 02/17/2011

Public broadcasting is the last vestige of a civil American society where capitalism hasn't degraded everything into a commercial for some product. It is very sad that republicans want to dismantle something that has given many Americans an objective and thoughtful view of the country, world and times. They are clearly acting in their own selfish interests, preferring instead to allow corporate media giants pretend their capitalistic views are facts for their mutual benefit. Very sad indeed.

[SpreadthePanic]

08:18 AM on 02/17/2011

For parents, not only does PBS provide high-quality educational programming for children, but it also does so without innundating them with advertisements. When children watch programming on other channels, not only is the programming very derivative, but every 5 minutes children are told what fast food to eat, what sugary drink to guzzle down, and what toy they MUST have. Is the GOP's real problem with public broadcasting the fact that it gets federal funding (and not much of it, at that), or is it that the corporate masters can't stand not getting in on the action?

Also, let's be honest, NPR and PBS aren't going anywhere. They will have to find more sources of funding, but they will be able to do so. Both of them receive more private funding than federal funding, anyways (you know, those pesky pledge drives and companies providing funding for promotional consideration). BUT, in doing so, we risk losing true public-access to radio and television. It's nice to have a news source that doesn't have to answer to corporate ownership and an outlet for arts that might not get the ratings to be shown on a channel that depends on advertising.

The GOP had better be careful, though. Children of conservative parents watch PBS, too, and they aren't going to be happy if Sesame Street gets taken away.

[Jackamus]

02:35 AM on 02/17/2011

Honestly, who can hate Big Bird?

[Yourlibrarynightmare]

02:31 AM on 02/17/2011

Anonymouse:: These people have websites ya know.

[DirtyWater]

01:54 AM on 02/17/2011

After he lost his seat in PA I hear that he got passed over as Oscar’s replacement and the Grinch wouldn't apprentice him. Back to politics.

[Heisenberg]

01:10 AM on 02/17/2011

A tough nut to crack, this Sesame Street Lobby. I mean, how could anyone competently debate the Count when it comes to fiscal policy? Likewise, Bert and Ernie have the civil union aspect locked in. Add to that Oscar the Grouch's public works union background and the word of the day for the opposition will be "defeated".

[henrypapillon]

01:08 AM on 02/17/2011

That's pretty bad when you hate Elmo and Kermit.

[Skeetshooter]

12:18 AM on 02/17/2011

Frog stomps elephant!

[YOKEL13]

03:41 PM on 02/17/2011

hahaha... excellent!

[jeremyfive]

11:05 PM on 02/16/2011

Why would we listen to the corrupt Rick Santorum who demanded that his locality pay for expensive home schooling all the while maintaining a primary residence in another state (and permitting unrelated adults to live in the home)? Rick Santorum is a member of the political group "MormanChurch" which stages political rallies with funds drawn from its members. The political group "MormanChurch" pretends to be a church so that it can rake in huge summes in general taxpayer dollars, also, all the while operating as a political group, rallying publically for political support for causes it deems worthy (or not). "MormonChurch" is also associated with polygamy, denigration of women, and child abuse.

[DirtyWater]

01:58 AM on 02/17/2011

No reason.

[Kamen Gullberg]

10:35 PM on 02/16/2011

Republicans hate Elmo. Fear not, the Elmo and gang can ruff up Scrotum when he gets to Sesame Street.