Clay Risen

Yeah, I think for two reasons. First of all, he was useful to them. He was willing to go after Democrats in a way that they didn't quite feel comfortable doing. There was still a real order of decorum in the Senate that he violated very clearly. And so you have someone like Robert Taft, who was the Senate Majority Leader, the Mr. Republican in the Senate. He...

Yeah, I think for two reasons. First of all, he was useful to them. He was willing to go after Democrats in a way that they didn't quite feel comfortable doing. There was still a real order of decorum in the Senate that he violated very clearly. And so you have someone like Robert Taft, who was the Senate Majority Leader, the Mr. Republican in the Senate. He...

Yeah, I think for two reasons. First of all, he was useful to them. He was willing to go after Democrats in a way that they didn't quite feel comfortable doing. There was still a real order of decorum in the Senate that he violated very clearly. And so you have someone like Robert Taft, who was the Senate Majority Leader, the Mr. Republican in the Senate. He...

would never do something like what McCarthy did. But he very openly defended McCarthy and coached McCarthy on how to perform. And, you know, he was just that guy who was willing to say things that no one else did and land punches. But at the same time, they were also a little afraid of him because if you turned against him, he would make an example out of you.

would never do something like what McCarthy did. But he very openly defended McCarthy and coached McCarthy on how to perform. And, you know, he was just that guy who was willing to say things that no one else did and land punches. But at the same time, they were also a little afraid of him because if you turned against him, he would make an example out of you.

would never do something like what McCarthy did. But he very openly defended McCarthy and coached McCarthy on how to perform. And, you know, he was just that guy who was willing to say things that no one else did and land punches. But at the same time, they were also a little afraid of him because if you turned against him, he would make an example out of you.

The best example of that is Margaret Chase Smith, who was a senator from Maine. And relatively early on, this is in the summer of 1950, she gave a speech on the floor of the Senate and said, look, what he's doing is un-American. This is un-American.

The best example of that is Margaret Chase Smith, who was a senator from Maine. And relatively early on, this is in the summer of 1950, she gave a speech on the floor of the Senate and said, look, what he's doing is un-American. This is un-American.

The best example of that is Margaret Chase Smith, who was a senator from Maine. And relatively early on, this is in the summer of 1950, she gave a speech on the floor of the Senate and said, look, what he's doing is un-American. This is un-American.

unacceptable a senator should no one should be doing this and she got a few people to sign on ultimately they all dropped out and as soon as he could McCarthy I mean McCarthy went after her immediately but as soon as he got a committee position after 1952 She happened to be on his committee and he demoted her and sort of exiled her from any position of power.

unacceptable a senator should no one should be doing this and she got a few people to sign on ultimately they all dropped out and as soon as he could McCarthy I mean McCarthy went after her immediately but as soon as he got a committee position after 1952 She happened to be on his committee and he demoted her and sort of exiled her from any position of power.

unacceptable a senator should no one should be doing this and she got a few people to sign on ultimately they all dropped out and as soon as he could McCarthy I mean McCarthy went after her immediately but as soon as he got a committee position after 1952 She happened to be on his committee and he demoted her and sort of exiled her from any position of power.

And, you know, that became a, let's say, a cautionary tale for a lot of other senators. And it took a long time before anyone was willing to stand up and say, this man is unacceptable.

And, you know, that became a, let's say, a cautionary tale for a lot of other senators. And it took a long time before anyone was willing to stand up and say, this man is unacceptable.

And, you know, that became a, let's say, a cautionary tale for a lot of other senators. And it took a long time before anyone was willing to stand up and say, this man is unacceptable.

Yeah. And it's noteworthy that McCarthy's first speech, the sort of debut of this at a Republican meeting in West Virginia, came in January of 1950. And it was just weeks after Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury. We know now that, you know, Alger Hiss was a spy for the Soviet Union within the U.S. government. We know that

Yeah. And it's noteworthy that McCarthy's first speech, the sort of debut of this at a Republican meeting in West Virginia, came in January of 1950. And it was just weeks after Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury. We know now that, you know, Alger Hiss was a spy for the Soviet Union within the U.S. government. We know that

Yeah. And it's noteworthy that McCarthy's first speech, the sort of debut of this at a Republican meeting in West Virginia, came in January of 1950. And it was just weeks after Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury. We know now that, you know, Alger Hiss was a spy for the Soviet Union within the U.S. government. We know that

Julius Rosenberg and his circle did steal atomic secrets and give them to the Soviet Union. We do know that the Communist Party of the United States facilitated a lot of this. But what we also know is that there weren't many. Aside from Rosenberg, they didn't have much impact. And most importantly, by the end of World War II, The Soviets had largely dismantled their espionage efforts.

Julius Rosenberg and his circle did steal atomic secrets and give them to the Soviet Union. We do know that the Communist Party of the United States facilitated a lot of this. But what we also know is that there weren't many. Aside from Rosenberg, they didn't have much impact. And most importantly, by the end of World War II, The Soviets had largely dismantled their espionage efforts.