The mainstream media hivemind has decided that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) quoted Chuck Hagel’s words out of context in confronting him with past statements about the U.S. and Israel. Dave Weigel of Slate even went so far as to accuse Cruz of accusing Hagel of antisemitism–an entirely unsupportable accusation he attempted to defend (poorly, in my view) by claiming Cruz had referenced the Holocaust. Cruz’s questions were harsh, and it’s possible to argue for a different interpretation of Hagel’s words, but Cruz’s own reads were likely correct–especially on the Lebanon war, where Hagel made false equivalences between Israel and Hezbollah.
The truth is that the left and the media are embarrassed for, and by, Hagel. Making up a non-controversy about Cruz sets Hagel up as some kind of victim. Look for the development of that meme in the hours ahead.