‘SNL’ skewers first presidential debate, Chris Matthews, Big Bird (VIDEO)

The Ticket

Last week's presidential debate provided plenty of fodder for "Saturday Night Live," which devoted two sketches and the bulk of its "Weekend Update" segment to skewering the event.

On the cold-open, former cast member Chris Parnell returned to "SNL" to play moderator Jim Lehrer, who was steamrolled by Mitt Romney despite the Republican nominee's forewarning.

"Jim, when it comes to jobs President Obama prefers what I call a trickle-down government solution," Romney, played by Jason Sudeikis, said. "Now my plan is different. It involves 41 basic elements, six abrupt reversals of position and three outright lies."

"Mr. President, Governor Romney has just said he killed Osama bin Laden," Lehrer's Parnell said. "Would you care to respond?"

In another sketch, MSNBC's Chris Matthews--who unloaded on Obama's listless performance on Wednesday and again Thursday--was imitated by Sudeikis. "What the hell happened? I want answers!" he said.

"Well you've got to hand it to Mitt Romney," Seth Meyers said on the "Weekend Update" segment, "because President Obama sure did."

Meyers also picked the debate's winners and losers, including Lehrer.

"He was like a ghost visiting a scene from his past life," Meyers said, "helplessly waving his arms to get their attention" and "stammering like Hugh Grant in a rom-com."

"Also, Jim, you gotta keep the guys to time," Meyers said. "If that's how long you think two minutes is, your wife is a lucky woman."

Aside from Romney, Fox News was the clear winner, Meyers said. "When that thing ended you guys must've looked at each other and said, 'I think we can report this one exactly as it happened.'"

Another winner: America. "Is there anything more exciting than Joe Biden thinking it's up to him to get the lead back?" he said. "There's like a 50 percent chance he's gonna come out at the next debate with his shirt off."

Big Bird, though, refused to engage in partisan politics in his cameo appearance.

"I don't want to ruffle any feathers," he said.