"The reason why we find ourselves in a position of impotency is not because our only powerful potential enemy has sent men to invade our shores, but rather because of the traitorous actions of those who have been treated so well by this Nation... I have here in my hand a list of 205 names known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party." — Senator Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling, West Virginia, February 9, 1950
The cartoon's depiction of "smear" tactics most directly supports which claim about McCarthy's methods that critics made at the time?
- A
He relied chiefly on FBI surveillance transcripts
- B
He focused exclusively on Soviet diplomats in the U.S.
- C
He worked through bipartisan congressional committees
- Dcheck_circle
He made sweeping accusations without producing verifiable evidence
Explanation
Herblock coined the term "McCarthyism" to label reckless smearing without proof; McCarthy's 205-names list was never substantiated. He bypassed bipartisan procedures and targeted U.S. citizens, not Soviet diplomats.