The Rise and Fall of McCarthyism: An Explanation Of How the Media Created and Then Destroyed Joseph McCarthy. The U.S. Senator Joseph Raymond McCarthy, was born in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, Nov.14, 1908, and died May 2, 1957, (Grolier, 1996) was best known for his attacks on alleged Communist subversion most notably within the administrations of the Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The activities of McCarthy and his followers gave birth to the term McCarthyism. This term is used in reference to "sensational and highly publicized personal attacks, usually based on unsubstantiated charges,