July 26, 2007 12:24 AM UTC

Big Bird Endorses Paccione, Or Something

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• by: Colorado Pols

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

UPDATE: Check out the picture apparently taken today of the broke-ass Big Bird costume. That’s good stuff.

In Colorado we’ve seen candidates get followed around by a man (or woman) dressed as a chicken or a duck, but Big Bird?

Check out the convoluted and campy press release issued by the Angie Paccione campaign for congress, by which Rep. Marilyn Musgrave – called “Oscar the Grouch” (drum, drum, cymbal) – is apparently being followed around by Big Bird. This sounds pretty silly, but we’re intrigued to know where you would get a full Big Bird costume.

Rep. Marilyn Musgrave has spent the summer going to great lengths trying to paint a new version of the ultra-conservative Musgrave voters have come to know since her election in 2002. Musgrave has gone so far as to appear at state Democratic Party headquarters to oppose Army expansion at Pinon Canyon and in photo-ops with Rep. Mark Udall the likely Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in 2008. But that’s not flying with Big Bird.

The campaign for Angie Paccione, her 2006 opponent who is running again in 2008, sent a volunteer dressed as Big Bird to Musgrave’s local congressional office to highlight their point.

“Marilyn Musgrave talks one way in Colorado but acts like the same old Musgrave when she’s back in Washington, D.C.” said her spokesperson John Britz. Musgrave was one of only 72 to vote to completely eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which produces Sesame Street, the home of Big Bird.

“She is extreme in the minority,” said Britz. “She’s Oscar the Grouch when it comes to actually helping real people.” He highlighted three votes last week that the Paccione campaign says reflect the real Musgrave.

Eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (1 of 72 to eliminate)

Cut Student Financial Assistance by $65 million to fund work-study for needy students

– (1 of 79 to vote for the cuts)

– Cut Children and Families Services including Head Start and programs for disabled children

– (1 of 58 to cut by $8 million and 1 of 80 to cut by $5 million)

Source: HR 3034, Amendments 549(Lamborn), 544, 530, 531 Library of Congress 7/18/2007

Britz concluded by saying, “she may pose in photo-ops with Mark Udall but she still votes with Doug Lamborn and the fringe right-wing.” Britz said the Big Bird character is making a tour that includes Ft. Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Greeley, and Windsor. The bird may make other appearances around the district in the days and weeks to come.