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April 6, 2002
Herblock: 'Beacuse he's a genius, it works'
By KATHERINE GRAHAMHerb arrived at the Post the sameweek that my husband, PhilGraham, arrived in January of1946. Herb fought for and earneda unique position at the paper: oneof complete independence of anybodyand anything. Journalisticenterprises run best when writersand editors have a lot of autonomy.
But Herb's case is extreme. And becausehe's a genius, it works.
Herb's independence evolvedgradually. In the early years, hemade several sketches for the day'scartoon and dutifully submittedthem to the editorial page editor tochoose. When the editor was away,Herb began showing them to a preferredgroup of reporters and editorialwriters whose opinions hevalued. Gradually, the editor's rolewas dropped altogether.
Of course, this has produced afew tense moments. In 1952, thePost endorsed Ike, but Herb supportedStevenson and continued tojab away at the general. Whichpoint of view do you think madethe bigger impression with readers?
Finally, Herb's cartoon was droppedby the paper for the last days of thecampaign. Since his work continuedto be syndicated in other papers,The Post looked silly. The WashingtonDaily News ran a headline:"Where's Mr. Block? One of D.C.'sTop Draw-ers Is Missing."
Herb's unique ability to crystallizewhat is right -- or, more likely,wrong -- about an issue or a personhas often influenced the courseof events in Washington. Naturally,the strength and impact of his cartoonsoften provoke strong reactionsfrom readers who disagree.Part of the job of Post publishers isto defend Herb and the paper fromthese reactions.
"Since Herblock is the mostgifted political cartoonist of ourtimes," Phil wrote one reader, "bydefinition he therefore cannot bean organization man. Being an oldreactionary and individualist, I amall for people who simply have tobe individualistic. I think -- thoughit will amaze you -- that Herblockprobably considers himself frustratedand suffocated by ourpolicy."
-- From a tribute to Herblock's first50 years at the Washington Post,published December 31, 1995.