Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for January 06, 1994
Transcript:
Joanie: Sounds like you folks didn't get much of a holiday, Josh. Josh: Well, the trooper thing had to be dealt with...and fast! You see, Joanie, a bad story is like a virus. It's appearance stimulates a feverish press response, which spin doctors then have to bring under control...the fever, in and of itself, isn't necessarily bad. Overheating a virus, even the Bimbonic Plague, will often clear it. We just have to make sure it doesn't kill the patient in the process. Joanie: How about the metaphor? Anyway to kill it? Josh: Relax - it's just for in-house use.
Plague is not caused by a virus; it’s bacterial.