Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter Twelve Editorials, Opinion Pieces, Columns, Blogs and Cartoons 365 previous errors and mistakes, and “dirty laundry” means moral, ethical or legal infractions in the person’s past. At the end of a signed editorial about a presidential candidate’s dog, which had traveled atop the family car in a dog carrier, Meghan Daum wrote, “... if this is the extent of his personal baggage, he’s traveling light.” She ends by saying, “It’s even been said that [the candidate] shared his bed with [the dog] when his wife was away. Now there’s some dirty laundry for you.” The humor pokes fun at the amount of attention the dog was receiving from the media while other candidates had more serious moral failings. The candidate would probably have been pleased to see the “dog-carrier” issue lampooned. Self-deprecating humor, humor that pokes fun at the writer or the writer’s group, also may be part of an op-ed, but not the main point of the piece. For instance, conservative—that is, “right wing”—columnist William F. Buckley once commented that he would appear on a television show if the producer would agree to fl y him on a plane with “two right wings.” He laughed at his own politics. An op-ed writer should consider carefully before attempting satire. If your satire leads you to use hyperbole—to exaggerate or say anything that is not literally true—your audience, especially those who disagree with you, may condemn you for journalistic inaccuracy even though you know you are being satirical. Many people—including adults—should read and respond to your satire before you publish it to see if the satire is clear to all parts of your audience and is well- aimed. Each of your responders should see immediately that the piece is meant to be satire, and they should be able to identify what is being satirized. Rhetorical Devices in Op-Eds • Hyperbole—deliberate overstatement, such as calling a month “an eternity.” It’s been a month since President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage and was declared, on the cover of Newsweek, “the first gay president.” That’s an eternity in politics. (Meghan Daum, “Really? First gay president?” Los Angeles Times) • Irony—tension created by the contrast between appearances and reality. There are some nice deals to be had in the income tax code these days, but most wealth accumulates and passes from generation to generation with no tax at all. (Michael Kinsley, “The wealth gap” Los Angeles Times) “Nice deals” usually refers to shopping for cars, not working an unfair tax code. • Repetition. How bad is it? Bad enough that references to the 1930s have begun gingerly creeping into Italians’ conversations … How bad is it? Bad enough that to many Italians, President Obama’s economic policies look like a success story. (Doyle McManus, “All pain, no gain in southern Europe” Los Angeles Times)