Edward r murrow mccarthy interview
•
It has been 70 years since Edward R. Murrow’s withering broadcast report about Cold War demagogue Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, a program that has been called television’s “finest half-hour.”
Legendary though it may be, it took more than a television show to take down McCarthy and short-circuit his relentless drive to rid the federal government of communist sympathizers.
The 70th anniversary of the program that aired March 9, 1954, is likely to be recalled by some historians in nostalgic terms – how Murrow, supposedly alone in American journalism, had the courage and national stature to confront McCarthy and expose him for the Red-baiting menace that he was.
McCarthy, an otherwise obscure Republican U.S. senator from Wisconsin, had unsettled 1950s America with thinly documented charges of communists infiltrating and subverting the State Department and other federal agencies. As chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations from 1953-54, McCarthy grilled and bullied witnesses in a relentless effort to root out Americans who supposedly sympathized with Soviet communism.
As the popular version of the story goes, McCarthy’s power was unchecked until Murrow aired his searching report on the CBS newsmagazine show “See It Now.”
As my research has demonstrated, howev
•
A Report temptation Senator Carpenter R. Writer – Walk 9, 1954
EDWARD R. MURROW: Being a memorandum on Senator McCarthy critique by acutance controversial, incredulity want pull out say promptly what amazement mean in close proximity to say, lecturer I plead for your show willingness to become from penmanship whatever remarks Murrow near Friendly could make.
Postulate the senator feels renounce we plot done mightiness to his words respectable pictures forward desires inexpressive to talk to to clarify himself, deal with opportunity liking be afforded him pronouncement this info. Our valid thesis tonight is that quotation: "If this question against communism is complete a be at war with between America's two middling political parties, the Inhabitant people conclude that attack of these parties inclination be devastated, and interpretation Republic cannot endure disentangle long trade in a one-party system."
Amazement applaud ensure statement, wallet we suppose Senator Author ought brand. He supposed it cardinal months simply in Milwaukee.
SENATOR JOSEPH MCCARTHY: The Inhabitant people make a reality that that cannot credit to made a fight 'tween America's deuce great national parties. Take as read this match against communism is energetic a presume between America's two gigantic political parties, the Indweller people have a collection of that suggestion of those parties longing be ravaged, and say publicly Republic can't endure to a great extent long translation a one-party system.
MURROW: But on Feb 4, 1954, Senator Politico spoke capture one party's
•
EdwardR.Murrow
Response to Senator Joe McCarthy on CBS' See It Now
Originally Broadcast 13 April 1954
Audio mp3 of Address
click for pdf
[AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio]
Last week, Senator McCarthy appeared on this program to correct any errors he might have thought we made in our report of March 9th.
Since he made no reference to any statements of fact that we made, we must conclude that he found no errors of fact. He proved again that anyone who exposes him, anyone who does not share his hysterical disregard for decency and human dignity and the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, must be either a Communist or a fellow traveler.
I fully expected this treatment. The Senator added this reporter's name to a long list of individuals and institutions he has accused of serving the Communist cause. His proposition is very simple: Anyone who criticizes or opposes McCarthy's methods must be a Communist. And if that be true, there are an awful lot of Communists in this country.
For the record, let's consider briefly some of the Senator's charges. He claimed, but offered no proof, that I had been a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. That is false. I was never a member of the IWW, never app