Sen. Joseph McCarthy rose to prominence in the 1950s as he leveled wild allegations about communist infiltration in the U.S. government. Communism was an international threat at the time—and some sympathizers had indeed gained positions of power—but his recklessness turned into a witch hunt that destroyed lives and ultimately undermined the cause he was touting.
His popularity collapsed precipitously after an exchange during one hearing, where he accused U.S. Army attorney Joseph Welch of having a colleague with communist ties. In one of the most famous—and effective—retorts in political history, Welch said: "Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness…Have you no sense of decency?"
