Tie the Bull

An illustration of a bull tied to a stake in the ground with blue text and a red border on a white background.

The phrase "tie the bull outside" is a slang phrase usually meaning "I do not believe you". This button is likely a parody referencing a cartoonish bull paired with Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose political party of the early twentieth century. The button was created by cartoonist Bud Fisher within the years following the 1912 presidential election. These buttons were likely not worn during the presidential campaign by the opponents of Roosevelt, but instead were worn in a more joking manner afterward. Fisher created multiple buttons using this phrase along with some of the "I'm the guy" buttons found in Hassan Cigarette packages.