Maybe they mean Charlie McCarthyism

Best of the Web notes this story and the protests and threats of boycott being sent to MSNBC because of its new Michael Savage Show and asks "why is it OK to boycott a right-wing talk-show host if boycotting a left-wing movie star is 'McCarthyism'?" It's all in who is really doing the talking. Martin Sheen speaks anothers words, like a ventriloquist's dummy. But Savage says what he thinks. What they are really saying is that it's improper to discriminate against wooden puppets, but ok to take shots at real people, like Savage.