78. McCarthyism: The Fall of Joseph McCarthy (Ep 5)
Summary
Hosts David Aldashogo and Sarah Churchwell examine the Army-McCarthy hearings, where televised exposure of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s bullying tactics led to his political downfall. They analyze how Joseph Welch’s famous “Have you no sense of decency?” rebuke turned public opinion against McCarthy, aided by the rise of television. The episode also explores cultural responses to the Red Scare, including Elia Kazan’s *On the Waterfront*, J. Robert Oppenheimer’s security hearings, and the continued persecution of figures like Arthur Miller and Paul Robeson.
Topics discussed
Sponsorship and Introduction
Episode Overview: McCarthy and Hollywood
Context: The Army-McCarthy Conflict Begins
Elia Kazan and the Making of On the Waterfront
Plot and Allegory of On the Waterfront
Reception and Moral Debate Over Kazan's Choice
The David Schine Case and Army Investigation
McCarthy's Attacks on Eisenhower and the Army
Senate Censure and Rumors of Homosexuality
Sponsorship Break
The Rise of Television and Its Impact on the Hearings
Joseph Welch's Strategy and Composure
The Doctored Photo and Gay Baiting Exposed
The Cohn-Welch Pact and Executive Privilege
The Killer Blow: Have You No Sense of Decency?
McCarthy's Downward Spiral and Censure
HUAC Continues: The Marilyn Monroe Testimony
Paul Robeson and the Civil Rights Angle
McCarthy's Death and Legacy of McCarthyism
Closing Sponsorship
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