I was not yet born during the McCarthy era, but it was undoubtedly one of the most heinous and disgraceful periods of American history. McCarthy was another republican who lied shamelessly in order to win an election -- this, for example, from Wikipedia:
In his campaign McCarthy attacked La Follette for not enlisting during the war, although La Follette had been 46 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He also claimed La Follette had made huge profits from his investments while he, McCarthy, had been away fighting for his country. In fact, McCarthy had invested in the stock market himself during the war, netting a profit of $42,000 in 1943.
But, it was today while reading the current New Yorker that I really had a sense of the true parallels that exist. In a moving selection of letters from the late great Norman Mailer (whom I appreciate more as I get older) there is a description of McCarthy that is chilling in how close it comes to describing McCain's new running mate.
In a letter dated April 30, 1954 Mailer writes:
The McCarthy hearings are being televised these days, and I catch them from time to time. If you’ve never seen McCarthy you’ll have a surprise when you do. What all his critics fail to admit is that he has enormous charm and sex appeal, and a characteristic man’s man way of talking which dominates everyone around him, so that to a person ignorant of politics, he would seem just wonderful. The result is that it’s truly terrifying to watch him work, because you wonder how can this man be stopped? Yet, on the other hand it’s possibly not as bad as it seems, for I think a lot of his support is not active enthusiasm for his ideas, methods, etc., but simply the response of ignorant people to his vast and clever charm. The hope there is that when all the showdowns come, his minions may be startled to discover the ideas behind this guy they think is so great. The hope, I believe, is that he remain a reactionary. Just let him pick up a social program, and he’ll be dictator, because as a demagogue he is really extraordinary. Even hating him, you have to admire him because he’s so good at what he does. . . .
from The New Yorker, October 6,2008
Scary? I find it so. It is nothing new for Americans to be swayed by scoundrel charm.