Maurice Rosenblatt was one of the principal behind-the-scenes engineers of the 1954 overthrow of Senator Joseph McCarthy, the rabidly anti-Communist chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Veteran journalist Shelby Scates tells the story of the rise of McCarthy’s power to destroy careers and livelihoods with his allegations of subversion, together with the story of Rosenblatt’s role in effecting McCarthy’s eventual censure by the Senate. Lobbyist Rosenblatt joined with colleagues to form the McCarthy Clearinghouse, dedicated to stopping the demagogue’s assault on civil liberties. Operating out of Rosenblatt’s suite in the Carroll Arms Hotel near Capitol Hill, Clearinghouse staff lent their support to the Republican senator from Vermont, Ralph Flanders, who introduced the successful resolution to censure McCarthy and remove him from his committee chairmanship.

Drawing on interviews with Rosenblatt and other actors in the drama and on previously unresearched collections of papers, Scates tells a tale of excess and intrigue in an engagingly salty style. Passages quoted from the transcripts of McCarthy’s closed-door hearings ― not released until 2003, fifty years after the fact ― reveal in the participants’ own words how McCarthy grilled, cajoled, and threatened his witnesses and how they responded. Rosenblatt’s words and records offer the counterpoint, revealing the opposition’s strategy: “the way to defeat an extremist is with the conservative establishment.” In telling the story, Scates gives Rosenblatt the acknowledgment he deserves for having helped end a fearful episode in American political history.

About the Author

Shelby Scates is the author of Warren G. Magnuson and the Shaping of Twentieth- Century America and War and Politics by Other Means. He lives in Seattle, where for many years he was a political columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

ThriftBooks is a fully independent seller of used books, having sold more than 160 million used and new books since we started in 2003. Each quality used book is sorted, graded, shelved and shipped by hand by our team of dedicated employees in our seven warehouses across the US. We have the best selection of books, in the right condition and format, at everyday low prices. We also have a dedicated, US-based Customer Service team, ranked in the top three by Newsweek for Best Customer Service in 2018 and 2019, so you can shop with confidence. We support and invest in our employees, appreciate and value our customers, and truly believe in the power of the written word to educate, energize, and engage readers of all ages and interests.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Thrift Books Global LLC
18300 Cascade Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98188, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee each book that we send you. If you have any problems, please contact
our dedicated customer service department. They will do everything possible to
ensure you are happy with your order.

Shipping Terms

All domestic Standard shipments are distributed from our warehouses by OSM, then handed off to the USPS for final delivery.

2-Day Shipping is delivered by FedEx, which does not deliver to PO boxes.

International shipments are tendered to the local postal service in the destination country for final delivery – We do not use courier services for international deliveries.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	4 to 8 business days	4 to 8 business days
First item	US$ 0.00	US$ 0.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.