Watch Huckabee's joke at the NRA Convention Friday. (starting at 0:50).
(CNN) – During a speech before the National Rifle Association convention Friday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee - who has endorsed presumptive GOP nominee John McCain - joked that an unexpected offstage noise was Democrat Barack Obama looking to avoid a gunman.
“That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair, he's getting ready to speak,” said the former Arkansas governor, to audience laughter. “Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor.”
Obama supports extending the assault weapons ban, limits on gun sales, and a national law against carrying concealed weapons, with exceptions for retired police and military personnel. John McCain – whose legislative record was awarded a C+ rating by the NRA in 2004, but has received a perfect score – will address the group later Friday afternoon. His speech will include remarks "on the issue of unconditional negotiation with state sponsors of terror" that aides tell CNN’s Dana Bash are a direct response to Obama’s comments earlier Friday.
UPDATE, 8:28 PM: Huckabee released the following statement regarding his comments Friday, according to the New York Times website:
During my speech at the N.R.A., a loud noise backstage, that sounded like a chair falling, distracted the crowd and interrupted my speech. I made an off hand remark that was in no way intended to offend or disparage Sen. Obama. I apologize that my comments were offensive. That was never my intention.
From CNN Politics
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This is a man who says he's a Christian?
I don't think so.
Not a funny joke. Maybe not a joke at all.
Alonzo Demetrius, you obviously know as much as Kevin James. Please look up the meaning of "appeaser" and while you're at it, read up on Neville Chamberlain so the next time you post something you don't show how little you know.
Wow!!!!!!!! who needs him in the White House? Great thing he was stop before he became a nominee. That has to be the stupidest comment I have heard by a baptist minster. I never saw that on the national news. If Rev. Wright would have said that it would have been a media frenzy. What gives?
As a responsible gun owner, hunter, and member of the NRA I am deeply upset that even the notion of someone aiming a gun at another person could somehow be found as funny. So much for the NRA's program of responsible gun ownership and gun safety. I am truly upset that I am a membr of this organization
That is wildly inappropriate. Shame on Huckabee
WOW- what a stupid comment!!!!! Considering that Obama has Secret Service protection because people have made death threats against him puts this "joke" on the below distasteful list.
Not funny... in fact this is quite a disgusting remark. I am an Obama supporter, but I would still find this remark distateful if it were made about Hillary, McCain, or anyone, for that matter. Shame on you, Mike Huckabee.
Huckabee's comment was in extremely poor taste and not the least bit funny.
Don't pick on Huckabee's she is a nice lady
and if Obama was all white this would be a funny
When you have a black man, a woman running for the first time
our sensitivity radar is turned all the way up
if there had been a couple of woman and blacks as president
this is political humor and i will Huckabee the benefit of the doubt he
gave Wright initially.
Huchabee is only courting the V.P. spot. Too obvious.
Good one!
OMG.. this is not funny at all. You should never joke about a gun being pointed at anyone....I wouldn't even joke about Bush like that and I really don't like him. Many people have lost loved ones because of guns. I never expected something like this to come out of your mouth.
a good reason why Huck has no business being anywhere around the White House. I'm not sure what sort of connections you have to have going on in your brain to make a comment like that and think it might be funny.
Is he saying the Obama think that the NRA is full of poor white people that hold on to their guns and religion? Ok, i might get that...but the next step...someone pointed a gun at him?? not sure where that comes in...
Who found this amusing or appropriate?
You continue to disappoint, Republicans.
What!?!?! I cannot believe he said that!
First of all, this is not a joke. Most definitely, not funny and something that shouldn't be "joked" about or laughed "at". It's amazing how low politicians go. Both sides are guilty of it, but the Republicans have been stooping to all new lows in this campaign season. This is nothing more than "hate talk". I only hope these type of statements won't inspire some gullible, uneducated, idiot to act. It makes me sad as an American to see and hear our "leaders" saying and doing things unbecoming a Presidential candidate(s). Unfortunately, there are far too many people that subscribe to this type of thinking. They don't use common sense when dealing with the issues and continue to support people like Bush, McCain (one in the same), Huckabee, etc. It's time to wake people. If you agree with this sort "hate speak" you should evaluate YOUR weaknesses that shape YOUR thinking & beliefs.
i think he needs to say sorry... i guess it was a joke.. but if you curve it a little it could say a whole lot more....
remember that guy who said that they needed to go on a lynching party and go after Michalle Obama?.. that was tasteless and so is this.. how igorant.
i used to have respect for Mike.. i actually liked him. no longer.
My god people – is every Blog an "Obama" blog? I'm getting a little sick of you Jonestown people – drink your Koolaid already. If you didn't think there was going to be mud slinging when down to the final 2 then you don't know anything about politics and you don't belong voting. Obama is gonna dissapoint all of you who are "jonesin" over him; he's already started with the rhetoric and the "trashing". If he really wanted to run a different kind of campaign he wouldn't react to anything Mccain says – he'd be a bigger man but noooo. he's just another politician – just like the good Reverand said.
I don’t get the joke……it must be one of those Hillbilly jokes. This guy is an idiot!
Our President Obama 08’ & 12’
I like Mike Huckabee but not his politics. I also think the joke was in poor taste but considering the audience, it's not a surprise. I support gun control and I also think there should be stricter laws on who is able to buy a weapon. If we are going to advance to a more civilized society, we have to be willing to give up the weapons and this type of mentality. We're not cavemen anymore.
idiot
Huckabees comment was in very poor taste...I think we all have nightmares of guns being pointed at us with the college shootings, post office shootings, place of employment shootings. All families that have guns in their homes don't even joke about pointing a gun at someone!!!
I am appalled by this "joke". Not funny. Not Christian. And very disturbing.
When your standing in front of the NRA what else would come
out of your mouth. Guess we'll have to send over that pistol packin
Hillary to straighten Mike out.
Romney and Huchabee are in a bloody behind-the-scene duel for the V.P. spot.