No matter how nuanced your view, timing a critique of America’s war mongering for Memorial Day weekend may be the wrong move.

That’s a lesson MSNBC host Chris Hayes learned, after comments the rising news star made about discomfort with the calling soldiers “heroes” drew conservative blogger blowback of epic proportions.

On his increasingly popular show Up with Chris Hayes, the former reporter for The Nation said, “I feel uncomfortable about the word hero because it seems to be that it is so rhetorically proximate to justifications for more war.” Hayes went on to say he in no way meant to desecrate the memory of those fallen, but conservatives pounced on the comments, blasting the host for pushing stereotypical “progressive elitist” viewpoints that didn’t respect those in real warzones. Even Ann Coulter weighed in with her usual classy commentary.

Hayes apologized on Memorial Day, saying he didn’t “live up to the standards of rigor, respect, and empathy” of his own show. It’s OK Chris—now you’re ready to run for office!

Video by Paca Thomas.