Dave Davies

But by then, he'd opened up the fire on somebody else and had two or three more new charges. And somehow just kept it rolling and the media – I mean he knew how to play the media. They would always report a new charge because, oh my heavens, if this official really is a subversive, we don't want to miss that story. He really manipulated the media pretty effectively, didn't he?

But by then, he'd opened up the fire on somebody else and had two or three more new charges. And somehow just kept it rolling and the media – I mean he knew how to play the media. They would always report a new charge because, oh my heavens, if this official really is a subversive, we don't want to miss that story. He really manipulated the media pretty effectively, didn't he?

But by then, he'd opened up the fire on somebody else and had two or three more new charges. And somehow just kept it rolling and the media – I mean he knew how to play the media. They would always report a new charge because, oh my heavens, if this official really is a subversive, we don't want to miss that story. He really manipulated the media pretty effectively, didn't he?

Let's take another break here. We are speaking with Clay Risen. He is a reporter and editor for The New York Times. His book is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. We'll continue our conversation after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, it's a fascinating story that you tell here. And it did kind of have an end, right? It lasted about a decade, I guess.

Let's take another break here. We are speaking with Clay Risen. He is a reporter and editor for The New York Times. His book is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. We'll continue our conversation after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, it's a fascinating story that you tell here. And it did kind of have an end, right? It lasted about a decade, I guess.

Let's take another break here. We are speaking with Clay Risen. He is a reporter and editor for The New York Times. His book is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. We'll continue our conversation after this break. This is Fresh Air. You know, it's a fascinating story that you tell here. And it did kind of have an end, right? It lasted about a decade, I guess.

And there are really two things that seemed to help close the door on this frenzy of anti-communism. One was Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. What did he do?

And there are really two things that seemed to help close the door on this frenzy of anti-communism. One was Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. What did he do?

And there are really two things that seemed to help close the door on this frenzy of anti-communism. One was Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. What did he do?

We're going through a remarkable transition in national policy now with the Trump administration. And you write in the book that you think you see a through line from the events in the Red Scare to our current political moment. What do you see as the relevance of these events for us understanding what's happening now?

We're going through a remarkable transition in national policy now with the Trump administration. And you write in the book that you think you see a through line from the events in the Red Scare to our current political moment. What do you see as the relevance of these events for us understanding what's happening now?

We're going through a remarkable transition in national policy now with the Trump administration. And you write in the book that you think you see a through line from the events in the Red Scare to our current political moment. What do you see as the relevance of these events for us understanding what's happening now?

Clay Risen, thanks so much for speaking with us.

Clay Risen, thanks so much for speaking with us.

Clay Risen, thanks so much for speaking with us.

Clay Risen is a reporter and editor for The New York Times and the author of eight previous books. His latest is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. This is Fresh Air. Our TV critic David Bianculli has been impressed by two new TV series that tell their stories using time in a very inventive fashion.

Clay Risen is a reporter and editor for The New York Times and the author of eight previous books. His latest is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. This is Fresh Air. Our TV critic David Bianculli has been impressed by two new TV series that tell their stories using time in a very inventive fashion.

Clay Risen is a reporter and editor for The New York Times and the author of eight previous books. His latest is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America. This is Fresh Air. Our TV critic David Bianculli has been impressed by two new TV series that tell their stories using time in a very inventive fashion.

One is the new Max medical drama The Pit, which presents new episodes each Thursday through April 10th. The other, now streaming in its entirety, is the four-part Netflix series Adolescence, which follows the case of a murdered teen from several different perspectives. Here's David's review.

One is the new Max medical drama The Pit, which presents new episodes each Thursday through April 10th. The other, now streaming in its entirety, is the four-part Netflix series Adolescence, which follows the case of a murdered teen from several different perspectives. Here's David's review.