Good morning.
For Whitewater today, it’s a day of showers with a high temperature in the low seventies.
The Wisconsin Historical Society writes that today, in 1943, was one of the more embarrassing moments in Wisconsin political history:
1943 – McCarthy Breaks Leg in Drunken Accident
On this date future senator Joseph McCarthy broke his leg during a drunken Marine Corps initiation ceremony, despite a press release and other claims that he was hurt in “military action.” Although nicknamed “Tail Gunner Joe”, McCarthy never was a tail gunner, but instead served at a desk as an intelligence officer. In 1951 he applied for medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded to those who had flown at least 25 combat missions. The Marine Corps has records of only 11 combat flights McCarthy flew on, and those were described as local “milk run” flights. Many of McCarthy’s claims were disputed by political opponents as well as journalists.
McCarthy had this advantage, if consistency in such matters is an advantage: he was a lout from beginning to end, evident to anyone who looked his way. One cannot say he appeared to be one thing, but was truly something else; he was unsuited to represent others, from any angle or distance.