Mike Barnhill
Ashland
Dear Editor:
On Feb. 9, 1950, Joe McCarthy, Republican senator from Wisconsin, made a startling announcement. He declared he held a list of 205 communists currently shaping policy in the State Department. Overnight, his notoriety grew exponentially. Prior to this revelation, Joe was a freshman senator known mainly for his raucous behavior. Colleagues accused him of lying, manipulating figures and disregarding the Senate's most cherished traditions. He was up for reelection in 1952 and most political analysts expected him to lose. He felt he needed an issue to attract attention - something to make his importance felt beyond the walls of the Senate chamber. How did this distraction end up? Not well for Joe. He is only remembered by the term "McCarthyism" another "ism" word that American voters have to deal with.
How did this all begin? Joe was not an isolated instance of deception, but he used his war record to shameless advantage. Attacking political rivals as cowardly slackers or claiming to speak for veterans with disabilities. Finally, like most compulsive braggarts, McCarthy seemed increasingly unable to differentiate fact from fiction.
The Committee to Elect Joe McCarthy spent $75,000 during Joe's initial senatorial race compared to his rival's $13,000. For McCarthy, money became the great equalizer. Much of the money went to produce a slick brochure vaguely listing worded statements such as "job security for every man and woman" and "lasting peace throughout the world." It was an exceptional piece of campaign literature which set him apart from the incumbent GOP senator. McCarthy voiced his approval by saying, "That most people vote with their emotions, not with their minds. Show them a picture and they'll never read the rest."
Are we seeing a repeat of this episode in the 2020 presidential election?