The Fall of McCarthy

Television, the medium that makes or breaks so many, was ultimately McCarthy's downfall. McCarthy had been viciously interrogating suspects in public and private hearings for some time, but the American people witnessed his brutal methods firsthand when the Army-McCarthy hearings were broadcast on live TV in 1954 (the doing of President Eisenhower, who wanted the public to see McCarthy's misdeeds). The hearings began generically enough, with McCarthy making accusations against Army officers for not answering questions about their political beliefs. Lt. Col. Chester T. Brown, for one, outright refused to answer McCarthy's questions. In response, McCarthy said, "Any man in the uniform of his country who refused to give information to a committee of the Senate which represents the American people, that man is not fit to wear the uniform of his country" [source: CNN]. McCarthy then went one step further when he interviewed Brigadier General Ralph Zwicker, a decorated veteran and hero in Normandy, calling him "a disgrace to the uniform he wore" [source: Kiehr].

McCarthy
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
McCarthy on the premiere broadcast of the TV show "Face the Nation," Nov. 7, 1954

McCarthy had finally gone too far. Joseph Welsh, the attorney for the U.S. Army, responded famously by saying, "I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?" [source: Kiehr] The public quickly shifted its opinion of the man who had insulted members of the Armed Forces. President Eisenhower and the rest of the Senate agreed with Welsh. In 1954, the Senate censured McCarthy on 46 charges for abuse of legislative powers. He was eventually censured on only two of the charges because the Senate didn't want to project the image of being "soft" on communism. Instead, the censure resolution stated that he had abused his power as a senator. He remained in office but was left with virtually no power or clout.

McCarthy died on May 2, 1957, of acute hepatitis, which resulted from alcohol abuse. He was 48 years old.

The 1995 release of the Venona intercepts caused some to view McCarthy's legacy differently. Maybe he had, in fact, been a crusader against communism in a country that wasn't taking a tough enough approach. But most remember him as violating the civil liberties of too many innocent people -- and even some guilty people. He is still generally considered a reckless bully who used whatever means necessary to obtain the information he wanted. His actions certainly cost some of the accused their careers and livelihoods.

If nothing else, historians hope that others will learn from McCarthy's mistakes. When the Senate hearing transcripts were released in 1995, Senator Susan Collins said, "We hope that the excesses of McCarthyism will serve as a cautionary tale for future generations" [source: Frommer]. Only time will tell if that will be the case.

For more information about McCarthyism, take a look at the links on the next page.­

Is McCarthyism Alive and Well?
McCarthyism left an indelible imprint on the American psyche. Many political buffs are constantly on the lookout for cases of it. In fact, www.progressive.org has a whole section titled "McCarthyism Watch," in which author Matthew Rothschild details suspected cases. Usually, they include violation of civil liberties and suspected political highhandedness. Some headlines include:
  • Anti-Bush Protesters Prosecuted for "Unauthorized Display of Sign"
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  • ­VA Police Delete Photographs Taken by Muslim-American Journalism Student
  • Muslim-American Detained at Border for Fifth Time
  • Iraq Vet Faces Penalty for Protesting War
Whether or not any of these, and other stories, constitute true McCarthyism is a matter of opinion. However, with such a storied history of abuse of authorty by high-level officials, many believe it can't hurt to keep tabs on those in power­.
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