The first presidential debate of the 2012 election season took place Wednesday night, with each candidate taking their time to express their policies and what they plan to do if elected to the oval office. Plenty of political and economic rhetoric spewed from the mouths of both incumbent President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, as expected.

And also as expected, the internet found one insignificant yet odd detail from the entire debate and just ran with it, rather than get into endless political debates. Wednesday’s big topic on the internet the day after the debate? Big Bird.

Romney must not know much about the internet, because he should have realized that mentioning any famous character from pop culture would immediately blow up the internet and make many of us miss or even completely ignore everything else he said. Predictably, the biggest running joke from the debate is Mitt saying he “loves” Big Bird, but basically also wants him fired.

Romney’s remarks to “cut back the number of employees” and “My cutbacks will be done through attrition…” immediately after referencing Big Bird, humorously implied that one of the most beloved children’s characters of all time would suddenly see himself in the unemployment line.

If Romney had his way, this is what today’s unemployment line would look like:

And of course, folks on Twitter ran with it. The Boston peeps added plenty to the Big Bird discussion, as you’ll see in the tweets listed below.

Photos:

Why all the love for Big Bird? Oscar is the one who is really hurting. Oscar is the #47percent. #debates #2012debate http://t.co/rGZ8evji

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  (@afertig) October 04, 2012

Vote for Big Bird he needs a job! http://t.co/3I1ntkeM

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Jeanne Stewart (@ballerina658) October 04, 2012

Romney better be easy ... Big bird aint having it .. Sweerve .. http://t.co/2QUz8d6z

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CyborgTheProducer (@RudeBwoyLenny) October 04, 2012

Run for the hills Big Bird run!! http://t.co/JKum5hp0

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Tito (@zamone1970) October 04, 2012

Damn Big Bird, I feel you... http://t.co/D1KSNZEQ

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Astronaut Kid (@VanillaDropp) October 04, 2012

Bye-bye Big Bird! #romney #cuts #PBS #debate http://t.co/QHiUlOnn

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Tim Malcolm (@Tim_Malcolm) October 04, 2012

Tweets:

Romney just waged war on PBS and Big Bird. #debates

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Mike HeXt (@MikeHeXt) October 04, 2012

The moment Romney mentioned Big Bird, I felt a great disturbance in the interwebs.

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Brad Friedman (@brad_friedman) October 04, 2012

Mitt Romney likes Big Bird. Most human he's ever been is displaying his love for a giant mascot.

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Nick Nazzaro (@TheNazzaro) October 04, 2012

I wonder what Obama's stance on Big Bird is. #Obama2012

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Amanda Maddox (@amander5492) October 04, 2012

MITT ROMNEY @MittRomney when you get rid of BIG BIRD can you get rid of SPONGEBOB too? Thank you MR. PRESIDENT #PresidentialDebate

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Susan Cabral (@BOSTONGIRLZROCK) October 04, 2012

damn, Romney. you don't go after Big Bird. just no.

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  (@JixiLou) October 04, 2012

Mitt Romney's plan for sparking the economy was increasing sales of Big Bird Halloween costumes by 2000%.

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Doug Chin (@DougJChin) October 04, 2012

Are sites saying Romney won the debate because he was boorish and talked over everyone? He threatened to kill Big Bird! #debate

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Jonathan Pilley (@omnicomic) October 04, 2012

I don't know why Big Bird is so upset....can't he just borrow money from his parents to stay on PBS? #Moromney

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Angie Frissore (@angiefrissore) October 04, 2012

Romney's going to need a lot of rope to get Big Bird strapped to the hood of his car.

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Improv Asylum (@improvasylum) October 04, 2012

STILL can't believe Mitt Romney killed & ate Big Bird on live television. I mean, we've all dreamed of doing it but we control our impulses!

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Andy Woodruff (@awoodruff) October 04, 2012

Mitt Romney loves Big Bird...on a piece of polished wood over the fireplace.

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Thomas Towell (@thomastowell) October 04, 2012

Basically, Romney wants Chick-fil-A to start serving Big Bird burgers soon. @firedbigbird

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Kristian Laliberte (@kristianlaliber) October 04, 2012

I’m sure Big Bird could find a better job in the private sector. #savebigbird

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michael (@msgnet) October 04, 2012

How can Romney have won when he said he wanted to kill big bird?

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Adam Attarian (@arattari) October 04, 2012

clearly the path to prosperity is firing Big Bird and spending more on defense ...

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Kevin Cassidy (@TheOriginalKazz) October 04, 2012

Mitt Romney hates Big Bird! How can I vote for him now??? Oh wait...wasn't going to vote for him anyhow, but still...HE HATES BIG BIRD!!!

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Jenney Griffin (@IrishRedSox77) October 04, 2012

Big Bird is the GOP’s Osama bin Laden.

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Daniel Jalkut (@danielpunkass) October 04, 2012

Big Bird is a formidable write-in candidate: What the undecided voters learned from tonight's #2012Debates

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Bradley Wright (@BradleyOnAir) October 04, 2012