Political Cartoon by Herblock, the chief editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post during the McCarthy Era
The political cartoon reveals the unfair tactics of Senator McCarthy. He used baseless claims and false evidence to jail suspected Communists and anyone who opposed him. President Eisenhower was put into a very tricky position. As President, he could not let McCarthy get away with such injustice; however, at the same time he had to be careful not to become a target himself.
The context of the time includes the anti-Communist/McCarthy movement in the 1950s. It was right after World War II. America's fear of Soviet spies in America was perpetuated by Joseph McCarthy, a US Senator from Wisconsin. As a result, thousands were falsely accused of being Communists and had their lives stripped from them.
Rhetorical elements include symbolism in and juxtaposition between the weaponry used by the characters. On the left is Joseph McCarthy holding a butcher knife, representing his aggressive accusations. On the right is President Eisenhower holding a feather. This represented his helplessness during the time. Because of McCarthy's influence on America, Eisenhower was forced to be extremely cautious about how he dealt with McCarthy. He could not publicly speak out against him, rather he had to work behind the scenes because his reputation was highly at risk. The quote at the top also expresses concern. It reveals the ruthless nature of McCarthy's attacks.
The purpose of this article was to expose Senator McCarthy for who he really was. I think it worked because he made the situation between the two characters very clear. McCarthy's very sinister and churlish appearance became very obvious alongside Eisenhower's helplessness.
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