Another popular giveaway was during the 1968 election season, gold horseshoe lapel pins featuring either a Democratic donkey or a Republican elephant.

Trying to pin the old liberal label on the Democratic donkey has confused the Republican Republicans.

In the spot, an animated Republican elephant symbol and a Democratic donkey appear on a voter's shoulder as he stands in a voting booth trying to make up his mind.

For many years, there has been a small movement to adopt "LP" the Liberty Penguin as the official mascot, much like the Republican elephant or the Democratic donkey.

To the delight of his audience, Mr. Dukakis declared, "Before you know it he'll try to steal the Democratic donkey," He advised the Vice President to take care.

A candy-bar commercial shows an undecided voter with a Republican elephant on one shoulder and a Democratic donkey on the other.

Thomas Nast, the political cartoonist whose comic inventions included the Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant, is credited with popularizing Uncle Sam's goatee.

"This," he said, pointing to an advertisement of a Democratic donkey talking into an Ameritech telephone, "is what it is all about."

Donkey, Democratic The donkey has become the established - although unofficial - political symbol for the Democratic Party.

The Skewer From his pen came the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey and the Tammany tiger.