Chris Hayes has established a new standard. It is henceforth fair game to say on national TV of any parent who has spanked his child that such parent "hits his kids." Hayes employed the inflammatory formulation on his MSNBC show this evening. Hayes played a clip of a child in a Cruz audience telling him "you suck" and Cruz responding "in my household, when a child behaves that way, they get a spanking." Proclaimed Hayes portentously: "I should note it's a matter of public record by Ted Cruz that he hits his kids."

Okay then, so Hayes has equated a spank, which can be more symbolic than real, with a "hit." Would Hayes encourage the next reporter who interviews Hillary to ask if she ever spanked her daughter, or was ever spanked herself, and in any case how she views the issue? What about Barack and Michelle Obama? This is absurd--and despicable.

Note: in the clip, when Cruz said that speaking so disrespectfully to an adult would earn his children a spanking, the crowd erupts in cheers. So, Chris Hayes, was Cruz addressing a gathering of child "hitters?" Do you favor the criminalization of spanking? If not, why not? We need to hear more from you on this.