The trademarks for America’s major political parties, the elephant and the donkey, were adopted from a series of cartoons that caricaturist Thomas Nast began publishing in 1874 in Harper’s Weekly.  The leadoff cartoon depicts a trumpeting elephant labeled “The Republican Vote.”  The mighty pachyderm is shown to be blasting away at New York’s major newspapers that are also symbolized as a variety of animals.

While the Democratic Party is directly portrayed as a skittish fox in the Nast cartoon, the image that stuck was the primary target of the cartoon’s mockery, a donkey as the Democratic-sympathizing New York Herald.  Nast frequently alluded to the fables of Aesop in his illustrations.  The Herald newspaper appears as Aesop’s character of a donkey wearing the skin of a dead lion with the lengthy caption, "An Ass, having put on the Lion's skin, roamed about in the Forest, and amused himself by frightening all the foolish Animals he met with in his wanderings."

Mark Baisley

Mark Baisley

Mark Baisley is CEO of Slipglass, a cyber security product and services firm.

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Robert548 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 8:11 PM
And here I thought You were talking about Obama, the braying arse!
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Public Citizen Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 6:34 PM
And in this whole discussion the Fox, in the person of George Soros, still absconds with the fawn, the American Economy and the savings of the American People.
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dahni Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:20 PM
Why can't I use the term 'Braying A$S' in my post?
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Robert548 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 8:12 PM
I had to say arse. I guess we are too much for virgin ears.(or they just don't want to hear us)
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Barskor Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:09 PM
I will not Cringe from my right to vote Never again will I vote for a lesser evil, I vote for Ron Paul 2012!
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vietnamvet Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:55 PM
Yeah, but ... who will you vote for in the general election?
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 5:16 PM
Oh yeah, legalizing all drugs will be really helpful.
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Blue27 Wrote: Jan 31, 2012 1:26 AM
I support Newt, but you're wrong about Ron Paul on this issue. He wants the states to regulate these drugs instead of the federal government. I'm sure an overwhelming majority of the states would NOT legalize drugs with some possible exceptions regarding medical marijuana. VOTE NEWT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Blair43 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 9:58 AM
So one thing you as a writer need to emphasize is that Political Action Committees (PAC's) - no matter which candidate they endorse - are NOT controlled or run by a political candidate. That is illegal by law. So neither Gingrich nor Romney have any control over these so-called negative ads, their content, or their organizers.
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Robert548 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 8:14 PM
were you born stupid or did you have to work at it?
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Blue27 Wrote: Jan 31, 2012 1:34 AM
You couldn't possibly be that naive. Romney is SCUM and started this whole scorched Earth campaign strategy when he started losing to Newt. I will never vote for that arrogant condescending A$$ HOLE. The way he started the whole mess and acts smug when Newt fights back really emphasizes what a D!K he is!
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Black and White Brian Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:13 AM
"An A$s, having put on the Lion's skin, roamed about in the Forest & amused himself by frightening all the foolish Animals he met with in his wanderings."

Later morphed into:

A vast RICO-racketeering organised criminal hoard that prefers we call it by its street name: an a$s, having put on the snake's skin, roams about in the press-rooms & enrichens itself & its cohorts, cronies, contractors & suppliers by fooling into voting for it -- &/or otherwise into supporting it -- all of those too damned stupid to know they're being lied to &/or who're too damned mean-spirited &/or greedy to care, their alien relatives & acquaintances in foreign lands, their dogs, several pages of their 'local phonebooks & several generations of their dead!
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Black and White Brian Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:16 AM
How stupid is an "inappropriate content" filter that won't permit the cutting an pasting of a word from thread's title?
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LarryMoo Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 5:29 PM
The same kind of stuff when I tried to order a "DICKIE" to wear under my coat...Everyone knows what a dickie is and I'm sure everyone knows what part of the word means - neither the two shall meet...modern technology? Sometimes it isn't as smart as we give it credit...
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Ms Kelly Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 10:15 PM
I commend Mr. Baisley for clearly spelling out what is happening in our primary contests.

I am so sick of hearing that the voters detest negative campaigning, and then listen to what the negative ads are saying and support the message by switching sides. I would NEVER be persuaded by the opposition's campaign ads without first researching very carefully to see if what has been said is true.

That someone could switch candidates within a matter of weeks, or in some cases even days, tells me that we have a lot of very immature people who are voting. Perhaps this explains why our country is in such a mess.
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:22 PM
Democrat Party = the JACK@$$ Party. That's what Andrew Jackson's loyal oposition constantly referred to him as: "Jack@$$ Jackson! Jack@$$ Jackson!" That's why the donkey (JACK@$$) remains the party's symbol today. Does anybody know any history anymorejQuery15206030901971210074_1327879036485?
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annfan6 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 4:53 PM
A rat would be a far more appropriate symbol for the DemocRATS.
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Blair31 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 4:12 PM
Make an arse of yourself, and everybody will ride you.
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Black and White Brian Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 12:41 AM
That's what Cooper Anderson says!
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Chuck22 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 1:34 PM
Negative Ads - An industry just by itself. Mark, your telling us about all those millions that were paid to the TV stations (I'm sure they budgeted for and counted on those ads - think of the sales commissions). Then there are all of the production companies that produced the ads that probably made the participants quite proud of how they smeared the other guy (They too were looking towards these employment oppurtunities). And to think that all of this would be brought to a stop when each of us call the TV station and especially the candidates and say "YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK".
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kenneth416 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 12:01 PM
Obama's voice is not like the typical donkey voice. It is more like a frog's--you know, like a "croaker". That is a word my older son acquainted me with many years ago when he was in high school. Next time he (Obama) is on TV, try not looking (quit making fun of his big, protruding ears) and just listen to him. Is that not a croak?
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Ms Kelly Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 10:22 PM
I could never understand why people talked about Obama's great speaking skills when he was campaigning in 08. I found his voice to be flat and rather monotonous. I thought his speeches sounded canned and boring.
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Norm183 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 6:33 AM
Besides which, as Shakespeare said,"... a tale told by an IDIOT, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
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jessie7 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 7:38 AM
He does the "low shout" in all his speeches...so stupid.
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annfan6 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 11:13 AM
The donkey is the perfect symbol for the Democrats - ignorant, lazy, loud, obnoxious, stubborn and basically useless.
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Charlotte239 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 1:40 PM
Why denigrate the poor inoffensive donkey in such a way? I would never consider the donkey to be able to crawl through the grass like an elite democrat. Notice that I said an elite democrat, I figure that most democrats in the population are just as unhappy with the condition of the economy as most Republicans and Independents. Pity the poor donkey that is stuck being a symbol of socialism and marxism, when he was the one carrying the Virgin Mary on her way to Bethlehem.
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:26 PM
It's the JACK@$$ Party that has denigrated the donkey!!!
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Younger Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:39 PM
I'm sorry, but I do not recall any mention of a donkey as transportation in the accounts of the birth of Jesus.
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Younger Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:39 PM
I'm sorry, but I do not recall any mention of a donkey as transportation in the accounts of the birth of Jesus.
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Charlotte239 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 1:40 PM
Why denigrate the poor inoffensive donkey in such a way? I would never consider the donkey to be able to crawl through the grass like an elite democrat. Notice that I said an elite democrat, I figure that most democrats in the population are just as unhappy with the condition of the economy as most Republicans and Independents. Pity the poor donkey that is stuck being a symbol of socialism and marxism, when he was the one carrying the Virgin Mary on her way to Bethlehem.
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Mac287 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 10:43 AM
post of 11:13AM...nuh uh,annfan6...nuh uh.
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Andy440 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 10:15 AM
Thomas Nast, 19th century German immigrant, was the 'father' and 'gold standard' of American political cartoons. He is credited with creating the cartoon 'mascots' for both political parties- the Elephant, for the Republicans, and the Donkey for the Democrats.
Nast's cartoons, and the outrage they stirred in the public, were credited with 'taking down' the powerful Boss Tweed syndicate in New York. Called 'Nasty Nast' by the targets of his cartoons, Nast was living proof that the 'pen' is mightier than the sword.
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willis9 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 3:49 PM
Corrupt politician power brokers scheming out of the public eye then and now deserve the scorn of political cartoons. Just as what makes a joke funny is the element of truth in it, so to the cartoon caricatures.
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Bencheeseburger Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 9:56 AM
I didn't know. Very interesting. Thanks, Mark.
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dmusgrove Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 8:15 AM
Yep, I would know obama's voice anywhere.
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Matt in N.C. Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 7:30 AM
Santorum has left Florida on the eve of the primary and flown home to spend time with his three-year-old daughter, a victim of trisomy 18 who's apparently taken a turn for the worse. I wonder how long it'll be before Alan Colmes, Bill Maher, and the Town Hall trolls stir from their drug-induced torpor and start making fun of the situation.
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annfan6 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 11:12 AM
God bless Santorum and his family. He's a class act.
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Collateral Damage Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:28 PM
Thoughts and Prayers.
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Mac287 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 10:58 AM
Santorum may be a class act and most importantly he is a father and is with his
sick little girl and we all wish her a good recovery and are glad he is a good dad
who is with her. That alone makes me respect Santorum and God bless his family
Matt in N.C. however does NOT have much class because he made a low-down
comment using Santorum's little daughter as "bait".Response to post of11:12AM
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Mac287 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 10:52 AM
Stupid,ugly response of 7:30AM...how dare you? I don't know a single person who would EVER make fun of a sick three year old child!!! Drug-induced ? Look at Alan Colmes...do
you really think anyone would imagine him being mean in any way to a three year old child? Check with Karl Rove...quickly! You may have stepped over even that extended
"line" you seem to think doesn't apply to you...well it does and you,lower-than-low did step
over the decency line in order to slam and slander...and YOU used a 3 year old to do it...
for shame!
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Steelpony Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 7:01 AM
The analogy is still so true, thanks for the sunshine on just how the D party got its logo.

How accurate can you get with the definitions. Jackasses all. Faux everyone of them.
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Bill110 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 6:55 AM
Mark, Why do you, the Democrats and the Liberal Media continually call the Democrat Party the Democratic Party. Are you in bed with the change agents? The braying A$$ was on TV the other night blaming Bush for his own incompetence.
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wayne566 Wrote: Jan 29, 2012 11:02 AM
Democracy is not the great thing people say it is. This is why our founders gave us a republic, rather than a democracy.
Democrat, democratic - whichever.... neither one is a good thing.
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Blair31 Wrote: Jan 30, 2012 9:30 AM
Winston Churchill said it: "Democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all
the others." The late, great, Paul Harvey said it: "Self-government without self-discipline won't work.
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