W&W Morning Run: Bert & Ernie as Marriage Mascots

There is a petition floating around that calls for Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie to tie the knot. Clearly bolstered by the recent passage of same-sex marriage in New York, and a California law that puts contributions of LGBT Americans into social studies classes, the move would basically confirm what many adults have long speculated: That Ernie and Bert are more than just roommates.

Don't bet on it happening, what with opponents of public broadcasting funding already complaining of the outsized influence of the "Muppet lobby." But shouldn't we know whether Big Bird is a boy or a girl first?

Green Mean: Speaking of controversial children's characters, last night Stephen Colbert riffed on notions that Spongebob Squarepants is pushing a green agenda on our kids. "Yeah, this is even worse than when they pushed alternative lifestyles with 'Dora the Explorer,'" Colbert said. "This is how it works, folks. The liberal media brainwashes our kids by sneaking propaganda into their cartoons in a code only kids can understand."

Ratigan Rant: MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan and the latest Howard Beale-to-be explains his outburst on Tuesday. In a Huffington Post piece titled, "I'm Mad as Hell, How About You?," he writes, "We are taking our collective passion and focus and turning it toward manipulating power for the self-preservation of a few instead of working together towards shared goals with shared values knowing our ideas and mechanics will change as long as we try to get there." Maybe he'll strike a chord: President Obama did watch "Network" during the midst of the debt negotiations.