“I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass” (Republican-Democrat bipartisanship)

“I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass” is the last line of a bipartisanship poem of unknown authorship, said to be from a Democrat to a Republican after an election. The poem has been cited in print since at least 1952.
 
THe last line of the unity poem—“I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass”—has been printed on T-shirts and bumper stickers.
 
   
24 December 1952, Angola (IN) Herald, “Just Something to Talk About” by Harvey W. Morley, pg. 1, col. 5:
“The election is over, the results are well known,
The will of the people has been clearly shown.
Let’s forget our differences, let’s show by our deeds,
That we will give Ike all the backing he needs.
Let’s all get together, let bitterness pass,
I’ll hug your elephant, you feed my donkey grass.”
(Written by a “wit.”—ed.)
 
Google News Archive
19 October 1961, Ellensburg (WA) Daily Record, “Political passion fanned by poem” by The Associated Press, pg. 1, col. 2:
The poem, “I’m Glad I’m a Democrat,” reads as follows:
 
“Dear Republican:
The election is over,
The results are known.
The will of the people
has clearly been shown.
Let’s forget our quarrels
and show our deeds,
that we will give Jack (Kennedy—ed.)
all the help that he needs.
Let’s all get together
and let bitterness pass;
I’ll hug your elephant,
and you kiss my donkey.
A Democrat
“source unknown—“
 
10 April 1969, The Daily Standard (Sikeston, MO), pg. 2, col. 6:
A Christmas card sent by a Democrat to his Republican friend:
 
“The election is over, the result is known,
The will of the people is clearly shown.
Let’s forget our quarrels and show by our deeds
We’ll give our leader all the help that he needs.
So let’s all get together and let bitterness pass,
I’ll hug your elephant and you kiss my donkey!
 
Google Books
Will the Gentleman Yield? :
The Congressional Record Humor Book
By Bill Hogan and Mike Hill
Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press
1987
Pg. 69:
I’LL HUG YOUR ELEPHANT IF YOU KISS MY A—
 
Google News Archive
19 July 1992, Prescott (AZ) Courier, Budge Ruffner column, pg. 4A, col. 1:
Mo (Udall—ed.) had a favorite healing poem he’d like to recite after a bitter campaign. The election is over; Let the bitterness pass. I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my a—.
     
9 November 1994, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “Laugh Lines: Jokes,” pg. 2:
The election is over, the results are known.
The will of the people is clearly shown.
Let’s make up our differences and forget our past.
I’ll hug your elephant and you kiss my—-
 
Google Books
Heart of a Mule:
The Dick Schafrath Stories
By Dick Schafrath
Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company
2006
Pg. 193:
He then added, I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass!
 
Twitter
Mike
‏@mjbdiver
I saw a bumper sticker with the clearest definition of bipartisanship: “I’ll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass.”
10:21 PM - 10 Aug 2016