# Officer Potus in "Pearls Before Swine" Cartoons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837 "2010-06-28T20:24:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/1 "2010-06-28T20:24:23Z")
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a new character in the \*\*\*Pearls Before Swine \*\*\*comic strip: a very dim, incompetent elephant policeman named Officer Potus. Officer Potus is on a quest to create peace between Zebra and the crocodiles who’ve been trying for years to kill and eat Zebra. Though he acts as if he’s impartial, the officer’s “solutions” usually end up asking Zebra to let the crocodiles eat PART of him, or to let the crocs eat one of Zebra’s relatives. Now, it sure looks/sounds to me as if SOME kind of political metaphor is being attempted, though I’m not at all sure what it is… and I’m not sure if Stephan Pastis has it fully figured out, either. “POTUS” is an acronym used for the President of the United States. Is Officer Potus supposed to represent Obama, then? But he’s an elephant, which is usually supposed to represent the Republicans. Let’s see… Zebra is surrounded by stupid enemies who have been trying to kill him for years, and yet HE’S the one being pressured by others to compromise with the folks trying to kill him, and to give them what they want, in the name of peace. So, is Zebra Israel? Are the crocodiles the Palestinian Arabs? Am I reading way too much into this? Your thoughts, please? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/2 "2010-06-28T20:46:14Z")
The obvious possibility is that the character was created back when Bush was president, and just hasn’t been used much of late. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/3 "2010-06-28T20:49:32Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > The obvious possibility is that the character was created back when Bush was president, and just hasn’t been used much of late. I’m pretty sure that Officer Potus has never appeared in the strip before the last couple of months. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/4 "2010-06-28T20:56:01Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I’m pretty sure that Officer Potus has never appeared in the strip before the last couple of months. I agree, all though Grumman’s suggestion makes sense. The Israel explanation is good, I remember Patis did a strip on an Israeli school bus that was blown up by terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/5 "2010-06-28T22:20:16Z")
Why assume Bush? It’s equally possible that Pastis has a low opinion of President Obama. Just because he doesn’t write his strip in strident “Mallard Fillmore” fashion doesn’t mean he can’t be a right-winger and think the current POTUS is dumb. If the character never appeared during the Bush administration, why would you think to tie it in to the leftist “Bush is dumb” meme? ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/6 "2010-06-28T22:21:32Z")
Presumably because the character is an elephant, not a donkey. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/7 "2010-06-28T22:54:17Z")
Sometimes an elephant is just an elephant. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/8 "2010-06-28T22:57:42Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Sometimes an elephant is just an elephant. So you’re saying the elephant is irrelevant? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/9 "2010-06-28T23:00:06Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > So you’re saying the elephant is irrelevant? Not if it’s in the room. Or your pajamas. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/10 "2010-06-28T23:09:47Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Or your pajamas. How would an elephant get into my pajamas? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/11 "2010-06-28T23:25:15Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > How would an elephant get into my pajamas? I was thinking of before the bariatric surgery, dear. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/12 "2010-06-28T23:38:45Z")
> [@Silophant](#): > > Presumably because the character is an elephant, not a donkey. Perhaps because elephants have big ears. Pastis is subtle. He is probably deciding whether to write satire about the Dope or to have hired killers do away with us even as we speak. 🙂 Just joking, Steph ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/13 "2010-06-29T00:01:06Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I was thinking of before the bariatric surgery, dear. The answer to that is supposed to be “How he got into your pajamas, I don’t know.” Er, what gender are you? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/14 "2010-06-29T00:06:14Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > So you’re saying the elephant is irrelevant? It’s an irrelephant. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/15 "2010-06-29T00:10:35Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The answer to that is supposed to be “How he got into your pajamas, I don’t know.” I’m a free bird. That’s just how I roll. > [@](#): > > Er, what gender are you? :eek: All man baby! Just ask anybody. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/16 "2010-06-29T00:18:57Z")
You guys realize all the elephants are visiting dentists in Alabama this year? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/17 "2010-06-29T00:28:03Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > You guys realize all the elephants are visiting dentists in Alabama this year? :smack: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/18 "2010-06-29T00:29:14Z")
The tusks are looser down there. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/19 "2010-06-29T00:52:42Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > How would an elephant get into my pajamas? I guess he could start by buying you a drink. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837/20 "2010-06-29T01:08:58Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > You guys realize all the elephants are visiting dentists in Alabama this year? ??? I’m dumber than an elephant today. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/officer-potus-in-pearls-before-swine-cartoons/544837.md?page=2)