Sorry to disagree.
McCarthy bought our nation time, if nothing else.
He DID win, but paid for it with his life and reputation.
And Robt Lee fought on after Gettysburg, and also delayed the inevitable.
I'm not saying McCarthy is responsible for making communist adoration acceptable in Presidential Campaign offices today...nor would I say that General Lee was responsible for the collapse of States' Rights....
But they were both on scene at their respective critical inflection points in Freedom's history.