Interior secretary regrets threatening to 'punch' reporter

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expressing regret after he threatened to punch out a reporter who asked about problems in the government's wild horse program at a campaign event.

His press office said Tuesday that Salazar regrets the exchange on Nov. 6 while on a Colorado tour in support of President Obama's re-election.

A reporter for The Gazette of Colorado Springs, Dave Philipps, asked Salazar about the wild horse program and a horse slaughter proponent who has bought hundreds of the protected animals. Salazar answered but after the interview accused Phillips of setting him up and said he would "punch you out" if it happened again.

The Gazette says it held the audio in hopes of getting an interview with Salazar but horse advocates publicized the exchange first.