ABSTRACT
Senator Joseph McCarthy's political career was like a Roman candle. McCarthyism was a reckless political gamble to convince voters that the Democratic Party had presided over the country through two decades, not of accidents or errors—but of treason. Through a barrage of charges and countercharges, McCarthy insisted that the government was riddled with subversives working to destroy American values. Although the climate of the times and Republican strategy contributed to McCarthy's rise, the single most important element was his ability to manipulate the press. The success of the Radulovich program encouraged Murrow and Friendly, in the colorful words of one observer, "to lunge for the heart of the beast." They decided to deliver a body blow to McCarthy by showing viewers exactly what kind of unscrupulous methods he used. ABC joined the campaign by airing live coverage of the Army-McCarthy hearings—including Joseph Welch's gripping verbal assault.
