Facing universal condemnation over their new television ad attacking Mitt Romney for proposing an end to government subsidies for Big Bird, President Obama’s campaign blamed their own supporters for the idea.

“There’s been a strong grassroots outcry over the attacks on Big Bird,” Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki told Politico aboard Air Force One on Tuesday. “This is something that mothers across the country are alarmed about, and you know, we’re tapping into that.”

Earlier in the day, ABC News’ Rick Klein said of the ad, “It’s all in good fun, but the contrast may not be what President Obama is after, not now, not in this race. Romney is getting more serious by the day, with a foreign-policy speech and now Paul Ryan about to make the case for conservative fiscal policies. Romney marches toward Benghazi, while the president marches down Sesame Street?”

NBC News’ Chuck Todd added, “”When is the Obama campaign going to stop talking about the debate? … They cannot seem to turn the page from the debate. … Any conversation about that debate, I assume, helps Mitt Romney.”

Sesame Street has already asked the Obama campaign to take down the ad, prompting Howard Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi to tweet, “Oh man if you can’t stand up to Sesame Street…”

But so far it appears Obama is sticking by the ad. Psaki said the campaign was “reviewing” Sesame Street’s request adding that Obama is “the only candidate in this race who is going to continue to fight for Big Bird & Elmo.”