Donald Trump, McCarthyism and the Russia investigation

“So much for a ‘ witch hunt,’ ” Oct. 31 editorial.

I’m old enough to remember theMcCarthy era in the 1950s, in which Sen. Joseph McCarthy accused casual associates of Communists, homosexuals ( then an abomination), screenwriters, etc., as being of the same stripe as those they had contacts with. In the most memorable line from the hearings, Army lawyer JosephWelch simply asked, “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” Since then “McCarthyism” has been a political epithet akin to the more recent “racism.”

Until now. NowMcCarthyism has been embraced in a full- throated, scurrilous roar the left seeking President Donald Trump’s impeachment because his campaign employed for a few months a lobbyist- promoter who had worked for UkrainianRussian interests 10 years earlier. UnderMcCarthyism principles, that’s enough to convict Trump of “collusion” with Russia.

The Denver Post ridicules the “witch hunt” label Trump put on thisMcCarthyism, so I must ask: “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” ● ● ●

As the president of the United States, Donald Trump should be leading the charge into the Russian investigation. He should be the leader in the quest to find out if our election was hacked by the Russians, a proven enemy to our country. It seems to me that that would be the most patriotic thing he could do. Having Vladimir Putin tampering with our election is a basic threat to our democracy. Trump conveniently denies that it happened, was reluctant to impose the sanctions against Russia that were passed by the Congress, and instead is more worried about pro football players standing or kneeling for the flag and the national anthem. He has a very narrow vision of how to show patriotism.