It’s McCarthyism in reverse.
No...it's still McCarthyism; destroying/slandering conservatives........
In the beginning at Wheeling, WVA, McCarthy said he had a list of 57 names of people that should have their clearances looked into and loyalties validated. He didn't "out" anybody.
McCarthy was receiving his information from J. Edgar and other sources within the FBI and State Department. He learned of commie infiltration of the U.S. gov't and the cover up by FDR and Truman administrations, as well as, members of Congress. He learned that there had been a committee to investigate communist infiltrators, but the problems/perpetrators still posed a threat.
The leftists began to get worried and stated to openly attack Joe McCarthy and try to undermine him and the information. Eventually, the held censure hearings against him.
During his hearings, one of the panel members (Welch) was egging McCarthy on and telling him...'Senator, the next time you ID a communist, won't you please identify him post haste without delay.' And if you know of any communists why won't you name names?'
McCarthy wasn't trying to "out" or "smear" or "blacklist" anyone. He was trying to ensure due diligence in the investigation and make sure the Alger Hiss' of the world wouldn't sell out our Chinese allies to communist rebels, communist infiltrators wouldn't be given positions in Army SIGINT, or communists wouldn't get positions in the Code Room at the Pentagon.
When Welch was egging McCarthy on to name names, McCarthy stated the Senator could start with members in his own law firm; indicating an employee at Welch's law firm that was an identified commie.
This sounds like McCarthy "outed" or smeared someone; however, eight months prior to this, Welch had decided to leave this particular aide behind (in Mass.?) because it could be construed as a conflict of interest since it was known the aide was a communist.
Welch replied with the now famous "Have you no decency, sir?" Later, Welch asked another colleague what he thought of the performance....because that's what it was; a performance. It was akin to Valerie Plume and the leftist indignation that she was "outed" when she had been outed for quite some time.
The left refers to McCarthyism as hysteria to out/blacklist/attack people by accusing them of being commie sympathizers; however -
McCarthy was right
McCarthy was validated by the Venona Project
McCarthy was attempting to ensure Due Diligence
McCarthyism is actually slandering and attempting to destroy people that stand up to leftists (Allan West, Sarah Palin, Joe McCarthy)
Anyhow, check out "Blacklisted by History." It will make you sick inside.