Memorandum, Stanley M. Rumbough, Jr. and Charles Masterson to Murray Snyder Regarding a Response to Senator Joseph McCarthy

MEMORANDUM OF DECEMBER 1, 1953 TO: MR. MURRAY SNYDER FROM: STANLEY M. RUMBOUGH, JR. and CHARLES MASTERSON SUBJECT: RESPONDING TO SENATOR McCARTHY XW.C. L. MAIN POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION xPPF-CC A. Senator McCarthy has attacked the President, and the President's prestige is threatened both in this country and abroad. B. Would a response by the President lend dignity and status to the attack? C. Will a response to McCarthy jeopradize the legisla- tive program? IL. SUPPLEMENTARY FACTS A. Image of the President as an inspirational leader is important to the independent voter, who provided the margin of victory in the last election. These men and women did not vote for the Republican Party; they voted for Eisenhower. If their image of the President becomes clouded and if they do not vote again as they did in the last election, no amount of effort by the Republican Party will bring success. B. The threat to the legislative program is highly questionable. There are qualified observers who say that McCarthy and his coterie will neither drag their feet nor vote with the Democrats in the event the President speaks out against McCarthyism. Furthermore, there is no assurance that appeasement now will insure the legislative program. It is apparent that Senator McCarthy acts exclusively in the interest of Senator McCarthy, and if he deems it good strategy to discredit Eisenhower by scuttling the legislative program he will do so, whether or not the President speaks out against McCarthyism. C. People are swayed by emotion more than by reason. And this is an emotional issue, Furthermore, the image of the President as a fighter may well be more important politically than the success or failure of a legislative program, (assuming that success or failure of the program is involved.) D. One of the most dramatic moments in the President's career has arrived. He can appeal to the people now as a popular