Hayes Guest On Hagel Hearing: 'A Republican Purge, A Maoist Public Shaming'

Surprised they didn't opt for the auto da fe analogy . . .

On Chris Hayes's MSNBC show this morning, Ali Gharib, editor of the "Open Zion" blog at the Daily Beast, described the questioning of Chuck Hagel at his Senate confirmation hearing as "a Republican purge" and a "Maoist public shaming."  Michael Hastings of the Rolling Stone begged to differ, finding it more reminiscent of "Stalin."  View the video after the jump.

Hayes, no doubt knowing that we nitpickers at NewsBusters were watching, quickly intervened to caution viewers that this was "not a literal comparison, for the literalists watching at home."

A chuckle-worthy moment preceded the commie comparisons. Barbara Slavin of the Atlantic Council assured us that Hagel is "somebody who really cares and he thinks about things before he opens his mouth and makes judgments." Ah yes, the professorial Chuck Hagel.

BARBARA SLAVIN: He's somebody who really cares and he thinks about things before he opens his mouth and makes judgments. So I think it was sad to see how he had to back-pedal.

ALI GHARIB: And he had to back-pedal on these really, really important issues.

CHRIS HAYES: That's a self-criticism aspect.

GHARIB: Right. It was more like a Maoist public shaming. But it was Republican purge, basically. No offense or anything. It was actually very, very Maoist. It was amazing to watch.


MICHAEL HASTINGS: I think it was Stalin. Stalin on the [Ed.: Potomac?].

HAYES: Not a literal comparison, for the literalists watching at home. Continue.