www.antena3.ro/externe/de-ce-democratii-sunt-magar

The donkey and elephant symbols of the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively, were popularized by caricaturist Thomas Nast in the 19th century. Nast's work at Harper's Weekly depicted political issues and corruption, using animals to represent the parties. His caricatures often portrayed both parties in a negative light, highlighting their flaws. The association of colors with the parties, red for Republicans and blue for Democrats, became standardized only in the 2000 elections, contrasting with European color symbolism. Despite the negative portrayals, both parties embraced these symbols, perhaps recognizing the humor in Nast's critiques.