“What’s the difference between a politician and a snail?” (joke)

What’s the difference between a politician and a snail? A politics joke was posted to the newsgroup eunet.jokes on November 14, 1994:
 
“Gerold’s pronouncement: The difference between a politician and a snail, is that a snail leaves its slime behind.”
 
A different punchline was printed in The Times (London, UK) on February 25, 2011:
 
Q: What’s the difference between a politician and a snail?
A: One is a small, slimy creature that leaves a sticky trail of filth. The other is a snail.
 
   
Google Groups: rec.humor
Shorties
Chris Rolleston
9/1/94
(...) 
The difference between a politician and a snail is that a snail leaves its’ slime behind.
 
Google Groups: eunet.jokes
One Liners
Bo de Lange
11/14/94
(...)
Gerold’s pronouncement: The difference between a politician and a snail, is that a snail leaves it slime behind.
 
Google Groups: sci.military.naval
what do all you people do 4 a living
Eugene Griessel
1/9/97
(...) 
The difference between a politician and a snail is that a snail leaves its slime behind.
       
Salem-News.com
Aug-20-2009 10:40
Murphy’s Law-Plus
Gathered and Edited by Daniel Johnson Salem-News.com
(...)
Gerrold’s Pronouncement: The difference between a politician and a snail is that a snail leaves its slime behind.
 
25 February 2011, The Times (London, UK), “A Google search on politics - you must be having a laugh” by AHmed Murad, pg. 22:
Q What’s the difference between a politician and a snail?
A One is a small, slimy creature that leaves a sticky trail of filth. The other is a snail
 
Twitter
Squiffy The Clown‏
@Squiffy2
Whats the difference between a snail and a politician?
1 is a small slimy creature that leaves a trail of filth the other is a snail #win100
5:36 AM - 25 Feb 2011
 
Twitter
Samantha ✧*。‏
@backpackbb
Whats the difference between a politician and a snail? One is slimy, a pest and leaves a trail everywhere, and the other is a snail.
11:00 AM - 27 Jul 2011
 
Twitter
Paul J. Castle‏
@pauljcastle
What’s the difference between a politician and a snail? One is a slimy creature leaving a trail of filth where it goes. The other is a snail
3:22 PM - 18 Sep 2011
   
Google Books
Animal Jokes
By Joe King
Marine Publishing
2016
Pg. ?:
Q: Whats the difference between a politician and a snail?
A: One is slimy, a pest, and leaves a trail everywhere and the other is a snail
   
Reddit—Jokes
What’s the difference between a politician and a snail?
submitted November 7, 2016 by Sabertoothpanda_
One is slimy, a pest, and leaves a trail everywhere and the other is a snail.
 
Twitter
Dad Jokes‏
@Dadsaysjokes
What’s the difference between a politician and a snail?
One is slimy, a pest and leaves a noxious trail, the other is a snail.
1:42 AM - 13 Nov 2017