Long term McCarthy, or rather how his actions were portrayed in the media, was the best thing to ever happen to communists and their supporters in America. Short term, he tore up the Democrat party by making it clear to Americans that liberals would side with communists against their own country. McCarthy, in large part, was responsible for the defeat of perhaps a dozen Democrat Senators including majority leader Ernst McFarland, majority whip Francis Myers and 4-term Senator Millard Tydings. After that, the Democrats were out to get him just as they got Newt after 1994 and Nixon because of his exposure of Hiss and landslide victory in 1972.
No, what it really shows is the power of the organized media that was a prime effort of the communist agents. See "psychopolitics, the soviet art of brainwashing" on a web search, but be careful, many of the posts are are phony disinformation postings made to look like they are from the KKK or ayrian nation or a similar group. I think a site on geocities is pretty straight.
As for Joe M being arrogant and bullying, well at least half of the Dems, and a few pubbies [McInsane for one] are just as unplaesant to their foes. I really don't think it was the messenger, it WAS the message. There was more than one "Jolting Joe" in those days.