Post turtle

Post turtle is a phrase that has been used in political discourse of various countries, particularly in North America, based on an old joke. Various politicians have been referenced by the joke or used the joke, including Bill Clinton,[1] George W Bush,[2] Barack Obama,[3] Donald Trump,[4] and Joe Biden.[5]

Stone turtle on a fence post, a design in a park in Kunyang, Yunnan

The joke

An old rancher pinched his hand in a squeeze gate to the point of needing stiches. While his doctor was stiching him up their conversation came around to politics, when the doctor asked the old man what he thought of the current President.

The rancher responded by saying he thought the President was no more than a "Post Turtle."

He further explained, "When you're driving down an old country road and you come up upon a turtle balanced on a fence post, THAT's a post turtle."

Noting the curious look on the doctor's face, he realized that the doctor still did not understand, so he continued, "You know he didn't have the ability to get there himself, he has no idea how he got there or what he's doing, he has no natural ability to accomplish anything from there, and you can't help but wonder what idiot put him there. You can only pity him, for the injuries he'll receive when he falls from that post."

Notable usage

Ronald E. Poelman used the post turtle reference referring to himself when he was first appointed as a general authority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during General Conference in April, 1978, saying, "Like the little turtle who found himself on the top of a fence post, I know that I did not reach this place by myself."[6]

Mary Doria Russell used the post turtle reference in her 1996 novel The Sparrow, attributing it to Father D.W. Yarborough, leader of the first Earth expedition to another planet. Yarborough refers to post turtles in the context of seeming anomalies in nature and regards them as proof of the existence of God, specifically of God trying to get our attention.[7]

The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton by Joe Klein, published in 2002, quotes Clinton as saying: "If you see a turtle sitting on top of a fence post, it didn't get there by accident." According to Klein, this was Clinton's way of claiming partial responsibility for "the historic prosperity and the global peace that attended his time in office".[1]

Molly Ivins is attributed to usage for George W. Bush.[8]

In 2008, Steve Benen, lead blogger for the liberal "The Political Animal" at Washington Monthly, referred to Eric Cantor as a post turtle.[9]

At the 2010 CMAs, Brad Paisley used the phrase in his acceptance speech for Entertainer of the Year.[10]

References
  1. Kennedy, William (March 24, 2002). "The Turtle on the Fence Post". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  2. "Political Jokes – Bush the Post Turtle". About.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  3. Dorinson, Patrick (August 28, 2009). "The Cowboy Libertarian: Obama the 'Post Turtle'". Fox News – Opinion. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  4. "Donald Trump - The Post Trutle". October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  5. "Letter: Biden and the 'post turtle' story". Chico Enterprise-Record. 2021-08-27. Archived from the original on 2021-11-26. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  6. ""I Did Not Reach This Place By Msyself"". Conference Report. April 1, 1978. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  7. Russell, Mary Doria (1996). The Sparrow. Villard.
  8. Ivins, Molly (2003). "Turtle on a Fence Post". Democrats.US. Archived from the original on July 7, 2004.
  9. Benen, Steve (October 9, 2008). "Eric Cantor, Post Turtle". Political Animal (Washington Monthly). Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  10. "Lady Antebellum wins 2 CMA awards". The Augusta Chronicle. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
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