Democrats and Republicans have historically been at each others' throats, shouting that their own positions are the only ones that make sense and the other party is completely laughable in its political positions. Little wonder then that the very symbols of the parties, the Democratic Donkey and Republican Elephant were popularized and created by an American cartoonist.
Thomas Nast was a German born American caricaturist and cartoonist widely considered the Father of the American Cartoon. Working as a political cartoonist for Harper's Weekly from 1859 through 1886, Nast created the modern version of Santa Claus, attached the elephant to Republicans and popularized Uncle Sam and the Democratic Donkey.
The Democrats had been loosely associated with the donkey symbol as far back as Andrew Jackson and the election of 1828. Jackson was fond of populist beliefs and the slogan "Let the people rule" which was labeled simplistic nonsense by his opponents, who further termed Jackson a jackass. Jackson, with a sense of humor about the label, turned the moniker around, called it a donkey instead of a jackass and used it to his advantage on his campaign posters.
Through a cartoon in Harper's - at the time America's most widely read periodical - Nast popularized the donkey as the very essence of the Democratic Party in 1870. His donkey cartoon, meant to show Democrats as hardheaded and downright stubborn, caught the public's fancy and was soon the symbol of the party.
A few years later Nast drew a cartoon of a rogue elephant that represented panicked Republican voters, fearful of President Ulysses S. Grant running for a third term. While there was no law against it, the system of a two-term president, established by George Washington, was considered tradition and a code not to be violated. Republicans, Nast thought, were acting just like an out of control elephant, running wild and smashing into anything in its path.
Like many things in politics, meanings eventually get turned around and soon the elephant was used as the symbol of the party. Rather than a representation of derision, the elephant was viewed favorably, as a noble, intelligent animal with very thick skin.
Today the Democratic Donkey and Republic Elephant are found on bumper stickers, leaflets and political party flags. Loyal party members wave them proudly at meetings, rallies and conventions. The symbols had humorous origins but were transformed into serious political party symbols.