By 1959, McCarthyite smear tactics had stopped working in New York press battles

Evidence

The letter produced the desired effect in the Daily Mirror and Daily News (“Back Big Bob, Mr. Mayor. Papp…has used the smear tactics you’d expect from one who took the Fifth Amendment”) but nowhere else; the Post’s anger (“The letter…was the kind of reckless assault no man with any claim to decency would utilize”) was echoed even by Newsday (“Perhaps…Jove has nodded”). — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 4202

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to earlier chapters on Moses smearing Stanley Isaacs and Rex Tugwell out of office in the 1940s—a clear before/after contrast on McCarthyism.