and another damned new McCarthy

Is Ted Cruz our New McCarthy” asks The New Yorker* — after some insinuation in hearings about Chuck Hagel taking money in from the North Korean government

— and referencing a bunch of Communists on the Harvard University faculty a few years ago —

— Mind you, I tend to want the definition of “McCarthyism” defined fairly specifically — I’m not wanting every damned bit of demaugogery and slurs to slide in.  The answer for Ted Cruz I’ll throw up in the air, but… here’s one of his responses.

Washington has a long tradition of trying to hurl insults to silence those who they don’t like what they’re saying,” said Cruz.

(Shrug.)

None of this is all that interesting.  Kind of.  (Heck, apparently the Old McCarthy wasn’t all that interesting.)  What I want to know… historically… how many politicians have come along that have been heralded as the “New McCarthy” or the “next McCarthy”?

A New McCarthy for you in 1980.  Who is it?  Not quite what I’m looking for…
Kenneth Starr is the new —
Lyndon Johnson’s Propaganda and his Credibility Gap… a little different — it’s a politician becoming McCarthy.

… There’s always room for a new McCarthy.  They all are, aren’t they?

* and everyone else.

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