It was McCarthy's six weeks on television, at times appearing intoxicated, that caused the American public to turn away from him.
His attack on the NLG after agreeing not to go there because the case was in court after being told to provide the names of the 130 Communist names he had before the next day brought about his intoxicated rebuke.
Even McCarthy admitted he had been "smug and petulant." He was censured by Congress.