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In the Left mind Nixon was associated with Joseph McCarthy. The Left guys hated McCarthy passionately.

The story is long. Chambers accused Hiss of being a Soviet agent (later confirmed by the Russians). In the Leftist eye the Left were being accused of harboring, shielding, and protecting traitors. The era was romantically communist here in the USA.

Venona, a major code breaking project, decrypted Soviet communications between Moscow Center and "American" Leftists - a whole bunch of "American" Leftists. These decrypts proved that there were a large number of American born Soviet agents many of whom were in high government positions. Hundreds of Soviet agents. Senator McCarthy had lists of Soviet agents in the United States government (lists derived from Venona intercepts) and went public with the information.

Venona had to remain secret and therefore these Soviet agents, men and women intent on destroying the Republic, were never arrested. The "American" Left went nuclear, the mass media of the day was mostly Left (as they are now) and so McCarthy was mercilessly hounded out of public life. Any criticism of the Left those people to this day call McCarthyism.

Lots more to the story. Chamber's Witness is a place to start.