 Flanders was an early and strong critic of fellow Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy ’ s " misdirection of our efforts at fighting communism ” and his role in “ the loss of respect for us in the world at large . ” He felt that rather than looking inward for communists within U.S. borders , the nation should look outward at the “ alarming world @-@ wide advance of Communist power ” that would leave the United States and Canada as “ the last remnants of the free world . ” On March 9 , 1954 he addressed Senator McCarthy on the Senate floor , expressing these concerns . ( McCarthy had been advised of the speech , but was absent at the time . ) Apart from a brief note of encouragement after this speech , Flanders was grateful that President Eisenhower stayed out of the McCarthy controversy . Members of President Eisenhower ’ s cabinet passed along the message that Flanders should “ lay off . ” 
