"The fault, dear Brutus . . . . ."
By Gordonskene Friday Mar 13, 2009 1:30pm
(Senator Joseph McCarthy R-Wisconsin - 1954)
March 9th marks the 55th anniversary of the now-famous showdown between Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy that night in 1954. Anyone who has seen the excellent 2005 film "Good Night and Good Luck" will know the story surrounding this milestone in broadcasting. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth taking a look. But in the meantime, here's the real thing, as it happened. It's been edited down to conform to the 10 minute maximum from YouTube, but the essence is all there.
Bluster and smears appear timeless, probably now more than ever, as witnessed by showboat pundits and self-appointed consciences. Fifty-five years and not all that much, aside from the players has changed. However, it would be nice if a few more Murrow's showed up.
"No one familiar with the history of his country can deny that congressional committees are useful. It is necessary to investigate before legislating. But the line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one, and the junior Senator from Wisconsin has stepped over it repeatedly".
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Great, great stuff from Murrow, McCarthy (spits) and FDR a few times below. Thanks for sharing.
There's just something wierd in these times when Jon Stewart is the closest thing we have to Murrow . . . ;-) I GUESS there's Sy Hersh, HE'S a hoss of hosses . . . . but he don't get a lot of MSM requests to dance, does he . . .
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, those voices are fewer and farther between these days. It makes you wonder where the future of articulate dissent is heading.
We've got voices decrying the abuses of the right (and the rich), on national TV, even. It's just that the best ones are on comedy shows.
I can't imagine that that was the very first time that the media was "libral". That sounds like the last eight years, except in this recent case McCarthy starred as Kip Hawley and the other lead actors were even more terrifying!
I know that it seems to be the "hip" and "bipartisan" thing to do:
Knocking Michael Moore and now Keith Olberman - (why?)
but I think that these guys deserve a lot of credit for speaking up when nobody else would.
Jon Stewart is GOLDEN!
And Colbert at the Whitehouse Stenographers Dinner? WOW
Maddow and Goodman and H Thomas!
We are fortunate to have these people.
Murrow would have been proud.
Its kind of a shame how many people on the left seem dedicated to hating everyone, sometimes people that are close to their own views most of all. I see it in the comments here all the time. Of course its easier to by cynical and believe that everyone is corrupt than to try and actually get involved and do something.
He was useful to certain people, including:
-- J. Edgar Hoover, who proclaimed communists the greatest threat to the U.S., while denying the existence of the mafia
-- Richard Nixon, who took political advantage where he could get it
-- Bobby Kennedy, who was like Nixon until he started (incompletely) to evolve
The problem for McCarthy was, he started to get a little too much power, and got a little too full of himself (and a little too full of the bottle). And he was ON TV. The CIA, which controlled CBS, decided therefore to take him down.
to go along with that:
American Rhetoric: McCarthy-Welch Exchange During the Army-McCarthy Hearings
Not sure if it is but McCarthyism needs to be in history books so kids can learn how ugly a rogue politician can be. If more truth in American History was taught we'd have fewer Bush's and Cheney's. But Conservatives would be screaming foul.
I took a look at my son's history book when he was in high school.
Reagan defeated communism.
No mention of Teapot Dome.
Nothing about McCarthy.
It is an outrage, and all parents should teach REAL HISTORY from
Howard Zinn's "Peoples History."
Some home-schooling in the truth won't hurt anybody but the Oligarchy.
Excellent companion book to the incomparable A People's History of the United States.
"Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" from Dee Brown (the Native American history of the U.S.).
I remember growing up and being brainwashed that communist countries whitewashed their history books, well the U.S. is actually worse. Better to teach nothing than to paint glorious exploits of people who slaughtered others needlessly.
BTW, Zinn's "People's History of the U.S." ought to be read by every American. Essential.
I have no children that I know of (rim shot) but they teach that Reagan defeated communism? A man can say "tear down this wall" and our schools tell them that ended communism? It had nothing to do with The Pope's influence, Lech Walesa, the dire economic atmosphere or Afghanistan? Reagan did nothing more than give his Knute Rockne speech and maybe act tough. This is why America is so far behind in education. Because it's political. Darwinism or Creationism, trying to teach religion, limits on science, abstinence or sex education, and political influence. They give our teachers such a hard time yet they tie their hands. IF they try to teach the truth it's they call it liberal influence.
My son's high school history taught that Ronnie Ray Gun was the greatest president of the 20th century.
I had a lot of counter-teaching to do.
But we live in AZ where they teach about Mary-Mother-of-God riding side-saddle on a brontosaurus.
/snark, but not by much...
I knew a woman from Russia who came over here after communism fell. She would laugh at the idea that Reagan ended communism. She was there and saw how it actually happened and Reagan had nothing to do with it.
... when I was in high school (late 1970's). But then, we were also taught things like Civics.
Now, "Good Night And Good Luck" is considered an art-house film. It didn't show in my city, I had to go a few cities over to see it. Same with "Milk," even though we're in the SF Bay Area.
Whether it's incompetence, corruption, hypocritical sexual issues or persecuting people, it seems like it's almost always a Republican.
Bobbie Kennedy was good personal friends (through his father) with McCarthy, served on his commitee and was pissed when Roy Cohn was made chief council instead of him. RFK did turn around though and actually helped the democrats highlight the abuses of McCarthy, Cohn, and his gay playmate. Its unclear how much Bobbie's change in heart at that point in his life was due to seeing the light about McCarthy vs. his hatred for Roy Cohn.
There's a great shot of Bobby slinking away as McCarthy implodes in Point of Order - Emile de Antonio's great film of the Army-McCarthy hearings.
It was all about Teh Ghey, you know. Cohn was upset that his boyfriend G. David Schine wasn't getting special treatment by the military. So he got McCarthy (another closet queen) to attack them.
Scrath the "Cold War" and you'll find Teh Ghey all over the place. Whittaker Chambers vs. Alger Hiss for instance. Talk about "When Queens Collide!"
Has anyone noticed a distinct resemblance between Bill O'Reilly and Joseph McCarthy? Are they related?
Related or not, they both look like they just ate a pickle.
Is that Roy Cohn in the background?
Re: Joe and Billo.
As humans age, EVIL tends to accumulate in the Jowls. It's a little known fact that Hitler underwent 11 separate cosmetic procedures for jowl reduction.
I have come to believe that the personality type that aligns itself with the conservative, religious right, republican, is mentally and emotionally damaged. In other words they are wired that way and are probably incapable of telling the truth or ever healing themselves.
In their stunted state have the strong need to prove themselves better and more worthy than others. In this twisted world they actually create the enemies they need to act out their demented frame work.
Liberal is a good thing. It implies generous, abundance, openness, and freedom. And yet the criminal mentality of these right wingers is made clear as they work in unison to undermine these very healthy values. In effect soiling any possibility of any real joy or expression.
I think these mentally ill "conservatives" are the real elephant in the living room. They throw their tantrums and stomp about. Disturbing the peace for the rest of us ... and if we try and ignor them they just turn up the volume.
They are the one's who hate other peoples freedoms. They hate liberals for their freedom ... they hate the world and take every opportunity to justify their misplaced outrage.
They are basically unloved or ignored children who are raging against the obtuse parent impervious to their needs and somehow distant from reality. They in turn separated from reality and never integrated as whole human beings. Their lives are compartmentalized and they are extremely shellfish as very young children tend to be.
Unless they rebel this cycle of disconnection just makes more of these extremist criminals.
Face facts. The words "liberal" and "conservative" are both good words. Certainly we can agree on that.
Looking beyond those words, we can agree that we (each of us on the planet) are individuals - and our perceptions are the result of our individualized, personalized genetic/experiential components that carry us from one present perception to the next.
It makes no difference to me what someone else might believe.
As long as they are willing to leave me alone.
isn't the point that, for at least a certain strain of conservatism, they most certainly will not leave you alone? McCarthy and Cohn weren't just hanging around reading Ayn Rand to each other. They spread lies, got people fired, and nurtured a witch hunt atmosphere that in some cases drove people to suicide.
Once the ball gets rolling, you can't stop it.
After all of this chest-beating and wailing about communism, or the modern-day tirades of Bill-O and ArmaGlennon, if they stop, their adherents will dismiss them as easily as they dismiss others who criticize or contradict their former idols: they've been compromised, sold out, made to bow to the evil politically-correct liberals.
So their only choice is to do more of it. Louder. More forceful. Claim persecution and inevitable vindication.
That over 25% of the populace can't see that this is racist hucksterism is just sad.
true
But in their case, I can't feel bad for them, as we have had things that happen in our life that may make us different, but you all have to realize that and make real efforts to make the golden rule for everyone.
RePUGs don't usually do this the same way that others do, and we can blame all sorts of things but we all know that, perhaps only shock treatment or frontal lobotomy might work with these cretins. I really don't want to feel sorry for these folks, let them suffer like all others without blaming it on undocumented aliens, or liberals, or anybody else. Gawd they have had the floor for eight years now and can't deal with loss.
i remember the first night eddie broadcast from london as the sound of bombs echoed thru the speaker of our zinith radio , his voice seemed strained and he described the destruction thoes were fearfull days , so are these , but you knew that how many ways can you squash free speach let me count the ways!
It should be pointed out that Irving Kristol was one of McCarthy's biggest defenders.
Like father-like son, Willy on occasion will regurgitate excreta from his yapping maw in defense of McCarthy.
Thus proving that you can pass off teh stupid gene from one generation to another.
I'm currently reading John Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest" about America's descent into Vietnam. The book touches on McCarthyism and goes onto explain how in 1950 (I believe) McCarthy was looking for an issue to run on for re-election. The Senator's original proposed platform called for a $100 a month pension for every American but he decided that was too weak. One of his buddies then suggested that he could run on an anti-communism platform, but that he would have to be careful with it. McCarthy agreed that it was a good issue to run on and he of course wasn't careful and was broken and dead before the decade was out. Imagine what a different world this would be if that bastard went with his original plans!
as a re-election issue but McCarthy's crusade took on a life of its own. For a brief period of time he had immense power and I think he loved it.
... is his keynote speech to the RTNDA (Radio/Television News Directors' Association).
Linky here.
do you realize what this means........ it means that johnny come latelys only read and write about what they read in a history book!
... once remarked, "Why would I read something that doesn't make me money?" (My wife and I are both book hounds.)
But even reading history books has to be matched with an ability to make critical judgments, and more than not teaching the little tykes history, we're not teaching them how to think.
We need to realize where we are headed.
Did we learn from the "commie scare" of the 50s,
or are we repeating it with the "Obama is a Socialist" scare today?
We need to be careful, very careful, and learn from the past so that we do not repeat it.
Using all those years of brainwashing to prey on people's fears again.
The U.S. has NEVER been teetering on the verge of becoming Communist.
The U.S. has ALWAYS been a Socialist Capitalist nation.
And it's obvious from the past several years, if ANYTHING will cause the downfall of the U.S., it's UNRESTRAINED CAPITALISM. Saying so doesn't make anybody Communist anymore than saying "love thy neighbor" makes you a heretic.
I think re-Thugs have charged Beck with the job McCarthy gave himself. That of fear-monger in chief for the re-Thug party.
I also think what he's practicing comes very close to actual sedition and that he had better watch his step.
*
i remember one cold november evening in 1950 back then we allso tuned in walter wenchel on the radio , he said good evening mr and mrs america and all the ships at sea as all ways , then he said news flash , to chesty puller and the first marine divison in north korea , chesy better pull his marines back out of north korea or..... thier wont be enough of them left to hold a reunion in a phone booth , a few days later the chinese crossed the frozen yalu river 300.000 strong and came close to makeing winchels predicton true!thier are thoes who make history and thoes who only teach it!
Do you hear me, you worthless MSM talking leeches?
I guess this fear card bullshit isn't new. The 1950's was one fucked up decade.
ah i see you were taught history from the dead wood teachers, l n l trueman was ....... president and ..... he was a democrat!sorry your talking about the ike period ,forgot him but then the fiftys were no worse then today in lots of ways!
I had the best history instructor in the world. And I knew that Truman was a Democrat, thank you...and what does that have to do with the fact that the bullshit that occurred in the 50's made much of what happened in the 60's necessary?
oh sorry your useual rants kind of give you away , but back then the repigs usealy saw like you only what they wanted to see!
who spoke truth to power. i'm glad olbermann uses his sign off, a tribute to a real journalist. say what you will about keith being arrogant or a loudmouth, he was one of a very few who stood up to bushco. his special comments kept me going during the dark years.
That was over fifty years ago...Murrow had major balls. And look where we are today...must go vomit...again.
I've read, in several places, that the current Republican Party is not the party of Lincoln, or even Goldwater. I agree. But while listening closely to the clip (and thanks for the link; saved), I heard the infamous "junior senator" refer to the "Democrat Party."
Gosh. Where have we heard that recently? As in the last five minutes?
I'm trying to think of the right metaphor here. The current Republican Party seems to be the "love child" of Joe McCarthy and Strom Thurmond. Biologically impossible, of course (and don't dwell upon the images). Ideologically...?
It seems to me that the repub. party has been working against our country for decades. Why are people still buying into it, and I don't mean people with money, they benefit from the repubs. I mean people who vote against their own self interest, because they are against abortion or one of the other things the repubs act like they agree with them on. Somehow the religious right have accepted the rep. line. To the point I can't figure what Bible they are reading. Where is intolerance part of the Bible. Where is every man for himself preached. What happened to caring for the least of these. Being a self-proclaimed Christen in our times now means:hateful, intolerance of others, feeling superior to all others who don't believe what they do, any act of hatred is justified because they are the "true faith". I am so confused by this behavior I'm ashamed to say I believe in God, but I don't believe in the same God as these people do. Sorry for the venting, but sometimes I have to dump all these feelings before I go crazy.
In the alternate conservative universe they have ppl who
interpret everything differently. In this universe there are
still the *Communesses* & pinkos & the State Dept. "fellow travelers"
& the "Chicoms", none of these things have changed & the world is
still the same 50 yrs latter b/c in conservative states of mind,
by definition, nothing changes. McCarthy was a hero and Nixon
got Hess, & Wallace was an agent which was all true except for
McCarthy. BTW, Henry Paulson was labeled a Chicom last year
by Michele *Merkin* so you can believe that everything is still
static in conservative land where it's always "Pleasantville"
again & again & again.
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