The Definition and History of McCarthyism Today, there are many opinions regarding the term McCarthyism and what it really means. To get an idea of what is held behind this word, I looked in the dictionary to find its most accepted meaning. It read as follows: "Mc*Car*thy*ism n. The practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence -OR- The use of unfair investigatory or accusatory methods …showed first 75 words of 529 total…

…showed last 75 words of 529 total…he is prepared to go to any extremes in order to secure some mention of his name in the public press. His actions create trouble on the Hill with members of the party; they irritate, frustrate, and infuriate members of the Executive Department. I really believe that nothing will be so effective in combating his particular kind of troublemaking as to ignore him. This he cannot stand." -General Dwight D. Eisenhower, diary entry (1st April, 1953)