. He also broke his leg in a party, but later told many that it was as a result of "ten pounds of shrapnel". He was given the nickname "Tail Gunner Joe"1 and was gained a lot of good press as a result of his colourful stories.
             When McCarthy was discharged in 1945, he ran against Alexander Wiley for a seat in the Wisconsin Senate. After an unsuccessful campaign, he began planning to defeat Robert La Follette Jr., whose seat was up for re-election in two years. McCarthy's campaign used lots of money, as well as a dash of luck. He sent numerous letters and postcards to almost everyone in Wisconsin, made half a dozen speeches a day, and attacked La Follette ruthlessly. La Follette, in contrast, campaigned for only a few weeks. McCarthy's campaign posters pictured him in full fighting gear, complete with an aviator's cap, and belt upon belt of machine gun ammunition wrapped around his bulky torso. McCarthy attacked his opponent for not enlisting in World War II when in fact, La Follette had been 46 when Pearl Harbour was bombed and was too old to join the armed services. McCarthy also claimed that La Follette had made large profits from his investments while he had been away fighting for his country, when in truth, La Follette had been involved with a radio station. The suggestion that La Follette was guilty of war profiteering was deeply damaging and McCarthy won the election 207, 935 to 202, 557. La Follette was
             greatly hurt by the false allegations made against him, retired from politics, and later took his own life.
             McCarthy's first three years as senator can be considered to be mediocre and lackluster. He was guided by money from lobbyists, the most important being Pepsi Cola and a few real estate companies. At the time, there was a coal strike occurring and McCarthy called for a press conference. In this conference, he proposed a solution, saying that the striking miners ...