Play by Numbers (Known Communists)
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McCarthy jump-started his re-election bid when he made 3 speeches within the span of 7 days citing 3 widely divergent numbers of "known communists" in the state department. Short term success led to long term trouble, however, when he had to back up his accusations. Drinking heavily, and desperately grasping to legitimize his outlandish claims, things finally caved in on Mcarthy as his hearings were broadcast on television. At the end, in a desperate bid to regain lost credibility, he even accused the media and President Truman of being communists.