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Saturday, November 23, 2024

A giant sucking sound [comics journalism letter]



A giant sucking sound [comics journalism letters]

Barbara Elisse Najar,  Bill Whyte,
Washington Post November 23 2024: A13

The excellent graphic piece "How Trump's tariff plan could affect prices" in the Nov. 17 Business section was a day late and a dollar short. Why wasn't this printed before the election? In pictures and few words, the colorful comic depicted what was missing in the presidential campaign. People are not stupid, but candidates' ideas presented in mass gatherings or in interviews are often difficult to grasp. With pieces like this, journalists can show candidates how to pitch audiences in the manner of Ross Perot when he ran for president in 1992. His flip charts explaining complex ideas such as the electoral college and balancing the budget were a memorable hit. I hope candidates will use visual aids like this to bring things down to earth.

Barbara Elisse Najar, Potomac

Other readers have voiced concerns regarding the use of comic strips to impart news. Most Post readers can read text and don't need comics to add realism. The "tariff picnic" on Nov. 7 would have been more fitting in the sadly defunct KidsPost.

In fact, the way this piece was devised made the subject more difficult to understand.

Bill Whyte, Leesburg

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