“The reason why we find ourselves in a position of impotency is not because the enemy has sent men to invade our shores, but rather because of the traitorous actions of those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offer – the finest homes, the finest college educations, and the finest jobs in Government we can give.”
Senator Joseph McCarthy
Exonerated Posthumously
Quotes from McCarthyism – The Fight For America, by Senator Joseph McCarthy, 1952 (the emphasis is in the book):
“I have often heard people say ‘I agree with Senator McCarthy’s aim of removing Communists from Government, but I do not agree with his methods. Senator, why don’t you use methods which could receive the approval of everyone?’
I have followed the method of publicly exposing the truth about men who, because of incompetence or treason, were betraying this nation. …” (p. 7)
“American People Entitled to Benefit of Doubt
A government job is a privilege, not a right. There is no reason why men who chum with Communists, who refuse to turn their backs upon traitors and who are consistently found at the time and place where disaster strikes America and success comes to international Communism, should be given positions of power in government.” (p. 79)
“What is your answer to the charge that you employ the theory of guilt by association?
This should properly be labeled BAD SECURITY RISK BY ASSOCIATION or GUILT BY COLLABORATION rather than GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.” (p. 79)
“I have not urged that those whom I have named be put in jail. Once they are exposed so the American people know what they are, they can do but little damage.” (p. 79)
McCarthy about the high ranking officials, pretending to be his victims:
“The fact that these people have not been convicted of treason or of violating some of our espionage laws is no more a valid argument that they are fit to represent this country in its fight against communism than the argument that a person who has a reputation of consorting with criminals, hoodlums, gamblers, and kidnappers is fit to act as your baby sitter, because he has never been convicted of a crime.”
… and who persecuted whom:
“According to the testimony of Louis Budenz, former editor of the Daily Worker and a former member of the American Communists’ national committee, the Communist Party mapped out a campaign in 1942 which ‘began with an attack on Mr. Adolph Berle … to clean the State Department of all anti-Soviet elements.’ Berle at that time was the official in charge of security matters in the department.” (p. 24)
On the subject of McCarthy’s military service, including his tail gunner missions:
“UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
Flagship of the Commander-in-Chief
The Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, takes pleasure in commending
CAPTAIN JOSEPH R. McCARTHY, UNITED STATES MARINE CORP RESERVE for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
“For meritorious and efficient performance of duty as an observer and rear gunner of a dive bomber attached to a Marine scout bombing squadron operating in the Solomon Islands area from September 1, to December 31, 1943. He participated in a large number of combat missions, and in addition to his regular duties, acted as aerial photographer. He obtained excellent photographs of enemy gun positions, despite intense anti-aircraft fire, thereby gaining valuable information which contributed materially to the success of subsequent strikes in the area. Although suffering from a severe leg injury, he refused to be hospitalized and continued to carry out his duties as Intelligence Officer in a highly efficient manner. His courageous devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service.”
C. W. NIMITZ,
Admiral, U. S. Navy.
Commendation Ribbon Authorized” (p. 96, a quote inside of a quote)
Following are quotes from Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His Fight Against America’s Enemies, by M. Stanton Evans (2007)
How the hero has been cast as the villain:
“For these reasons and some others, the field of McCarthy studies and related Cold War history was left mostly to his political foes, dominant in intellectual circles when he lived and virtually unchallenged in academic and media precincts since. With a handful of exceptions, what purport to be histories of the era or biographies of McCarthy have been written by his severest critics. The views of his opponents are thus presented as the ‘facts,’ while significant data to the contrary have been denied, distorted, and in many cases suppressed entirely.”
Even mainstream Democrats took part in persecuting McCarthy:
“McCarthy was a thorn in the side of the Democratic party, as the issues of infiltration and security laxness all had their genesis under Roosevelt and Truman. The clamor McCarthy raised was extremely harmful to their party, which helps explain why under Truman every possible measure was taken to thwart McCarthy and obscure the truth about his cases.”
McCarthy was up against the factor of unthinkable:
“That there was a wide-ranging, high-level plot consisting of multiple Alger Hisses, as alleged by McCarthy, was for many in influential places too preposterous for belief. It was either a smear, or paranoia, or a quest for unworthy headlines, or something, but couldn’t possibly be the truth. It was, in a word, unthinkable—unthinkable that such a plot existed, or that the people named by McCarthy could be complicit in such betrayal.”
“COMMUNIST penetration of the American government was a long-term process that ebbed and flowed but never ceased entirely. As with other infiltration targets, such as schools, media outlets, civic groups, or labor unions, the purposes were several: to influence policies and programs, make propaganda, disrupt or sabotage things from time to time, and—where chance presented—engage in ‘intelligence’-gathering operations, otherwise known as spying.”
Contrary to the standard Leftist smear, McCarthy possessed an exceptional analytic mind. His aptitude has been proven not only by his WWII service as an intelligence officer in the Marine Corps (where he volunteered for the dangerous rear gunner missions to make better reconnaissance photos), but by his school records as well:
“Under an accelerated program then being offered, he completed four years’ worth of schooling in nine months, garnering top grades along the way to do so.”
“… an apparently near-photographic memory that allowed him to absorb large masses of material in a hurry and breeze through exams with last-minute cramming.”
Contrary to the standard Leftist smear, McCarthy’s hearings were conducted at the highest standards of due process:
“Again contra the usual horror stories, witnesses before the panel were (a) permitted to have counsel present and confer with counsel on an unlimited basis; (b) given time to obtain counsel, and urged to do so if they didn’t have such; (c) allowed to say almost anything they wanted, including criticism of McCarthy, challenges to the jurisdiction of the panel, and ideological filibusters of all types—though these always tended in the same direction.”
“Another salient feature of the McCarthy hearings was the rule that no one should be named as a Communist, pro-Communist, or subversive unless the person named was given notice and the opportunity to respond directly—though there were exceptions when another witness would do such naming on an impromptu basis. McCarthy repeatedly admonished people testifying not to use the names of those they were accusing until these conditions could be met with.”