Life — August 27, 1908 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This *Life* magazine cover from August 27, 1908 depicts a man being chased by an elephant labeled "POLICIES." The caption reads "PREPARING FOR HIS AFRICAN TRIP—HE HAS ALREADY HAD EXPERIENCE IN ELEPHANT SHOOTING AT CLOSE RANGE." The cartoon satirizes someone preparing for an African hunting expedition who already has experience with "elephant shooting." The elephant chasing him represents his own "policies"—suggesting he's being pursued or hounded by the consequences of his political decisions. This appears to reference a prominent political figure of 1908, likely President Theodore Roosevelt (known for his hunting expeditions), but the satire specifically mocks how his own policies have become burdensome or threatening to him, even as he pursues new adventures.