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| White Republican Mississippi senator jokes about 'public hanging' | White Republican Mississippi senator jokes about 'public hanging' |
| (21 days later) | |
| In the bleak history of lynchings in the deep south, Mississippi holds dubious pride of place. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, 654 lynchings of black people were carried out within its borders, dramatically more than any other state. | In the bleak history of lynchings in the deep south, Mississippi holds dubious pride of place. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, 654 lynchings of black people were carried out within its borders, dramatically more than any other state. |
| Trump repeats baseless voter fraud claim in Florida election – live | |
| It is within that context that a video posted on social media on Sunday and by Monday morning viewed almost 3m times landed with incendiary impact. It showed the appearance at a campaign stop earlier this month of Cindy Hyde-Smith, the white sitting US senator from Mississippi who is locked in a fight for the seat with a black Democrat, Mike Espy. | It is within that context that a video posted on social media on Sunday and by Monday morning viewed almost 3m times landed with incendiary impact. It showed the appearance at a campaign stop earlier this month of Cindy Hyde-Smith, the white sitting US senator from Mississippi who is locked in a fight for the seat with a black Democrat, Mike Espy. |
| “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row,” Hyde-Smith is heard saying in the video, praising a local supporter standing beside her. | “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row,” Hyde-Smith is heard saying in the video, praising a local supporter standing beside her. |
| The senator scrambled to explain herself after the video went viral. She said it was an “exaggerated expression of regard” for the individual who had invited her to speak and “any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous”. | The senator scrambled to explain herself after the video went viral. She said it was an “exaggerated expression of regard” for the individual who had invited her to speak and “any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous”. |
| But talk of public hanging is rarely perceived as innocent in Mississippi, given the state’s sordid legacy. Lee county, where Hyde-Smith spoke at the county seat, Tupelo, was the location of two lynchings according to EJI. Neighboring Monroe county witnessed 14. | But talk of public hanging is rarely perceived as innocent in Mississippi, given the state’s sordid legacy. Lee county, where Hyde-Smith spoke at the county seat, Tupelo, was the location of two lynchings according to EJI. Neighboring Monroe county witnessed 14. |
| Many of the lynchings were public spectacles, where white residents would congregate from all around to watch the hanging in a carnival-like atmosphere. The killings were often carried out with unspeakable savagery and sadism. | Many of the lynchings were public spectacles, where white residents would congregate from all around to watch the hanging in a carnival-like atmosphere. The killings were often carried out with unspeakable savagery and sadism. |
| The public hanging remark was all the more contentious given the biography of Hyde-Smith’s political opponent. In 1986, Espy became the first African American in Mississippi to win a seat in the US House of Representatives since Reconstruction. | The public hanging remark was all the more contentious given the biography of Hyde-Smith’s political opponent. In 1986, Espy became the first African American in Mississippi to win a seat in the US House of Representatives since Reconstruction. |
| Seven years later he broke another glass ceiling, becoming the first African American to hold the position of US agriculture secretary, under Bill Clinton. | Seven years later he broke another glass ceiling, becoming the first African American to hold the position of US agriculture secretary, under Bill Clinton. |
| Espy swiftly denounced his rival’s words as “reprehensible”. In a statement, he said: “They have no place in our political discourse, in Mississippi or our country. We need leaders, not dividers, and her words show that she lacks the understanding and judgment to represent the people of our state.” | Espy swiftly denounced his rival’s words as “reprehensible”. In a statement, he said: “They have no place in our political discourse, in Mississippi or our country. We need leaders, not dividers, and her words show that she lacks the understanding and judgment to represent the people of our state.” |
| Derrick Johnson, the national president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) who comes from Mississippi, denounced the remark of Hyde-Smith, who has been endorsed by Donald Trump, as “shameful”. He said it yet again proved “how Trump has created a climate that normalizes hateful, racist rhetoric from political candidates”. | Derrick Johnson, the national president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) who comes from Mississippi, denounced the remark of Hyde-Smith, who has been endorsed by Donald Trump, as “shameful”. He said it yet again proved “how Trump has created a climate that normalizes hateful, racist rhetoric from political candidates”. |
| Hyde-Smith has occupied Mississippi’s junior Senate seat since April, when she was appointed to the position temporarily to replace Thad Cochran who stood down for ill health. She is competing with Espy for the final two years of Cochran’s term. | Hyde-Smith has occupied Mississippi’s junior Senate seat since April, when she was appointed to the position temporarily to replace Thad Cochran who stood down for ill health. She is competing with Espy for the final two years of Cochran’s term. |
| Both candidates gained 41% of the vote in the midterm elections last week, but having failed to reach 50% they must now compete against each other in a runoff on 27 November. Now another Republican, Chris McDaniel, has dropped out, the conservative vote will no longer be split and Hyde-Smith is considered the comfortable frontrunner in a state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1982. | Both candidates gained 41% of the vote in the midterm elections last week, but having failed to reach 50% they must now compete against each other in a runoff on 27 November. Now another Republican, Chris McDaniel, has dropped out, the conservative vote will no longer be split and Hyde-Smith is considered the comfortable frontrunner in a state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1982. |
| The video was acquired by the publisher of a Louisiana news site, the Bayou Brief, from the person who had filmed it. The proprietor of the Bayou Brief, Lamar White Jr, told the Associated Press the footage had come to him because of his track record of reporting racism in the deep south. | The video was acquired by the publisher of a Louisiana news site, the Bayou Brief, from the person who had filmed it. The proprietor of the Bayou Brief, Lamar White Jr, told the Associated Press the footage had come to him because of his track record of reporting racism in the deep south. |
| “There’s no excuse to say what she said,” White said. | “There’s no excuse to say what she said,” White said. |
| Hyde-Smith’s comment was made to a very small group of white supporters in Tupelo. She was standing in front of a statute of Elvis Presley, who was born in the town. | Hyde-Smith’s comment was made to a very small group of white supporters in Tupelo. She was standing in front of a statute of Elvis Presley, who was born in the town. |
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| US midterms 2018 | US midterms 2018 |
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