Rhetorical Tactics Of Joseph Mccarthy

The Early Rhetorical Tactics of a Demagogue: Joseph McCarthy Successfully finds a foothold in the political world
Joseph McCarthy was man who exploited popular beliefs and predigests to rise to the status of a political demagogue who became feared by many. He strategically used fear and manipulation of facts to climb his way to the top. It seemed for a period McCarthy was untouchable. Historians rarely answer the question of how he became the notorious man that is recorded in history. How does Joseph McCarthy use propaganda, hasty generalizations, and the new age of media to gain his power? In order to fully understand how Joseph McCarthy became the tyrannical Wisconsin Republican Senator who fortified his power by inciting fear, we must examine

In the fight for circuit judge, McCarthy ran a race fueled by misleading and false generalizations to mislead the public eye. McCarthy spoke to the papers talking about his opponent’s age and salary. McCarthy in his attempt to show Werner as a incompetent candidate told the press repeatedly that Werner was seventy-three or even eighty-nine when his actual age was sixty-six. Following these exaggerations, he would say things such as “He is past seventy and would be nearing his 80th year when the term expired” (Judgeship Race Warm, Campaign Ends), “Even though he is willing to sacrifice himself, the job of a judge is too exacting for a man of his age” (Schlesinger, 88). At the time it didn’t really matter that his facts were incorrect because McCarthy’s words were printed and the written word was given validity. Werner had decided to not make a big deal out of the misprint at first. He foolishly believed that the voters would rather vote for a older wiser man. Werner did not take into account that being too old would be an issue (Cross, 20). Then later when it had actually become an issue and Werner realized what impact McCarthy’s words had on the people. He went to the papers and told them his real age and demanded McCarthy take back and retract his statement. By that time it was already to late. (Tracy, 21) McCarthy was in complete control and was able to make the public see Werner exactly how he wanted. He had planted doubt into the minds of the