Pigasus

Pigasus
1968 Candidate for U.S. President
Personal details
Political party	Youth International Party

Pigasus was a145 pound (66 kg) hog.^[1] In August 1968, he was nominated for President of the United States during the Democratic National Convention as a theatrical gesture by the Youth International Party. At a rally announcing his candidacy, Pigasus was seized by Chicago policmen and his Yippie backers were arrested for disorderly conduct.^[2]

Campaign for U.S. President

In 1968, Pigasus was nominated for the U.S. Presidency by the Youth International Party (Yippies). The pig's name was a play on Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology.

Selected for the campaign by Dennis Dalrymple, Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, candidate Pigasus was purchased from a farmer by Phil Ochs. His candidacy was announced during the the massive protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.^[2] The Yippies demanded that Pigasus be treated as a legitimate candidate, with secret service protection and White House foreign policy briefings.^{[citation needed]}

The Pigasus press conference and arrests

Pigasus waves to his supporters

The nomination of Pigasus for president occurred on the morning of August 23, 1968, at the Chicago Civic Center (subsequently renamed as the Richard J. Daley Center) in front of the Picasso sculpture.^[3]

Pigasus was transported to the rally in a station wagon, escorted by seven Yippie leaders. There were 50 Yippies carrying campaign signs and handing out literature. There were about 200 spectators on hand, along with ten uniformed Chicago policeman and several detectives, under the personal supervision of 1st District Commander James Riordan. The pig was placed in a police wagon and removed to the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society.^[4]

Jerry Rubin was in the process of reading the "acceptance speech" for him when Pigasus was "arrested" by the police.^[1] Seven Yippies including Jerry Rubin and Phil Ochs, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. The driver of the station wagon was also charged with obstructing traffic.^[4] Rubin later said that a policeman came to the jail cell and said "You guys are all going to jail for the rest of your lives- the pig squealed on you!" In fact the Yippies were released after each posted a $25 bond.^[1]

Trial

At the trial, defense counsel William Kunstler said the Yippies arrested at the rally had been charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and bringing a pig to Chicago, and accused the Democratic Party of doing exactly the same thing.^[5]

The trial of the Yippies was covered by CBS, NBC, ABC, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Chicago Sun Times, the AP and UPI wire services, and every major news outlet in the United States.

In addition to musician and Youth International Party activist Phil Ochs, numerous high-ranking members of the Youth International Party testified to the seriousness with which Pigasus had been vetted and briefed, in preparation for the campaign.

After the 1968 Democratic convention

Sources vary on the fate of Pigasus. There is some speculation that a cop took him home for dinner.^[2]

The Chicago Tribune, on September 30, 1968, said that after Pigasus was taken into custody by Chicago police, they transported him to the The Anti-Cruelty Society, along with a sow called "Mrs. Pigasus, and a piglet, all collected after being paraded by the Yippies as part of their demonstrations around the time of the convention. The swine were later transferred to a farm in Grayslake, Illinois.^[6]

Other sources state that after running for president, Pigasus moved in with the Hog Farm group. He also allegedly marched in solidarity in a New York City parade that started at the Gansevoort Street Sanitation Department pier on the Hudson River and proceeded to Tompkins Square in the East Village.^{[citation needed]}No one, including Pigasus, knew what the parade was about.

Five months after the nomination of Pigasus, during the inauguration ceremony of President Nixon, the Yippies held their own inauguration ceremony - for President Pigasus.^[7]

Many years later, the New York Times obituaries for Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin both highlighted the nomination of Pigasus for President, during the Democratic Convention of 1968, as an extraordinary moment in political theater.^[8][9]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Kusch, Frank. Battleground Chicago: The police and the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The University of Chicago Press, 2008. (paper), page 60. ISBN 9780275981389
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Chicago 1968 DNC". NY Daily News. August 20, 2008. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/chicago-1968-dnc-gallery-1.20296#pmSlide=8. Retrieved May 29, 2012. 
3. ^ Mailer Norman Miami and the Siege of Chicago: An Informal History of the Republican and Democratic Conventions of 1968; New York: New American Library, 1968
4. ^ ^{a b} "7 Yippies, their pig seized at a rally," Chicago Tribune, Aug 24, 1968, page 6. Historic Newspapers, ISSN/ISBN 6697182, Document ID: 592514882 (Subscription required)
5. ^ ^{a b} The Wonderful Pig of Knowledge!: Pigasus and the Yippies
6. ^ Yippie pig retires from election race," Chicago Tribune, Sep 30 1968, page 1. Historic Newspapers (fee): ISSN/ISBN6673072, ID:586877682.
7. ^ Rudin, Ken (September 12, 2005). "The politics of Katrina and Roberts." National Public Radio (US). Retrieved May 29, 2012.
8. ^ Abbie Hoffman, 60's Icon, Dies; Yippie Movement Founder Was 52 - New York Times
9. ^ Jerry Rubin, 56, Flashy 60's Radical, Dies; 'Yippies' Founder and Chicago 7 Defendant - New York Times

Additional sources

• Jordan, Robert (August 24, 1968). "Yippies Pick Pig for President". Boston Globe. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1928192262.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+24%2C+1968&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+%281960-1979%29&desc=Yippies+Pick+Pig+for+President&pqatl=google. Retrieved May 29, 2012.  (Subscription required)
• "Yippie Pig Retires from Election Race". Chicago Tribune. September 30, 1968. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/586877682.html?dids=586877682:586877682&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+30%2C+1968&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Yippie+Pig+Retires+from+Election+Race&pqatl=google. Retrieved May 29, 2012.  (Subscription required)
• McDougal, Dennis (November 17, 1987). "Bringing Back the '60s on the Wavy Gravy Train". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58753293.html?dids=58753293:58753293&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+17%2C+1987&author=DENNIS+McDOUGAL&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Bringing+Back+the+%2760s+on+the+Wavy+Gravy+Train&pqatl=google. Retrieved May 29, 2012.  (Subscription required)

Further reading

• Brett Mizelle (January 30, 2007). "Pigasus and the Yippies". The Wonderful Pig of Knowledge!. http://pigofknowledge.blogspot.com/2007/01/pigasus-and-yippies.html. Retrieved 2007-09-22. 
• David Holloway (January 29, 2002). "Yippies". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419101355/?tag=content;col1. Retrieved 2007-09-22. 

External links

• "Pigasus the Immortal". Porkopolis. September 27, 2008. http://www.porkopolis.org/ftr/pigasus.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-25. 

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