Featuring
Joseph McCarthy
Self - (archive footage)
Donald Ritchie
Self
Beverly Gage
Self
Tim Naftali
Self
Jelani Cobb
Self
Sam Tanenhaus
Self
John Madigan
Self
Edward R. Murrow
Self - (archive footage)
Alvin Spivak
Self
Leon Kamin
Self
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"McCarthy" chronicles the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin senator who came to power after a stunning victory in an election no one thought he could win. Once in office, he declared that there was a vast conspiracy threatening America — emanating not from a rival superpower, but from within. Free of restraint or oversight, he conducted a crusade against those he accused of being enemies of the state, a chilling campaign marked by groundless accusations, bullying intimidation, grandiose showmanship and cruel victimization. With lawyer Roy Cohn at his side, he belittled critics, spinning a web of lies and distortions while spreading fear and confusion. After years in the headlines, he was brought down by his own excesses and overreach. But his name lives on linked to the modern-day witch hunt we call “McCarthyism.”
Directed bySharon Grimberg
PBS American ExperienceWatch the
