Hyde-Smith apologizes for 'hanging comment' for first time, then says Espy used her words as 'weapon'

Justin Mitchell | Clarion Ledger

Show Caption Hide Caption Hyde-Smith, Bryant face questions about 'hanging' comment At a Monday news conference about an endorsement by the National Right to Life Committee, Gov. Phil Bryant and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith were asked about Hyde-Smith's comments about attending a hanging, captured in a video posted online Sunday.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith publicly apologized for comment she made about sitting on the front row of a public hanging earlier this month in a debate against Mike Espy on Tuesday night.

Hyde-Smith and Espy are vying for the U.S. Senate seat that Hyde-Smith currently holds after being appointed to it by Gov. Phil Bryant after Thad Cochran retired.

Hyde-Smith made the comment at a Nov. 2 event alongside cattle rancher Colin Hutchinson, a supporter of the senator.

"If he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row," Hyde-Smith said in an embrace with Hutchinson. The supporters around them laughed.

The exchange was captured in a video and went viral when it was tweeted by Lamar White Jr.

"If he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row"- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith says in Tupelo, MS after Colin Hutchinson, cattle rancher, praises her.



Hyde-Smith is in a runoff on Nov 27th against Mike Espy. pic.twitter.com/0a9jOEjokr — Lamar White, Jr. (@LamarWhiteJr) November 11, 2018

"For anyone that was offended by my comments, I certainly apologize," Hyde-Smith during the debate when asked if she was willing to apologize. The debate is being streamed live by WLBT and is being shared across many major news outlets in Mississippi.

"There was no ill will, no intent whatsover in my statements."

Hyde-Smith said she is very close to Hutchinson, whose parents died of cancer when he was in high school .

Hyde-Smith said she also used another phrase that day — she said she told the browed she would fight a circle saw for Hutchinson.

"Obviously, I would not stick my arm in a circle saw," Hyde-Smith said.

After apologizing, Hyde-Smith went on to say her words were later used by the Espy campaign for "political gain."

"This comment was twisted and it was turned into a weapon to be used against me," she said.

In a rebuttal, Espy said, "No one twisted your comments, because the comments came out of your mouth."

Espy said the video went viral "around the world" in just three minutes.

"I don’t know what’s in your heart, but we know what came out of your mouth," he said.

More: Watch live: Cindy-Hyde Smith, Mike Espy face off in debate before U.S. Senate runoff

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