Politics - Huckabee apologizes for Obama gun joke

ArcaMax Publishing > Politics

Your email address is safe with us. View our Privacy policy.

Religion:

Enjoy religious news and spiritual inspiration on the religion page

The Funnies:

Get free jokes, comics, and more! See them all on
our funnies page

Weather:

Accurate national, regional, and local forecasts on the weather page

Huckabee apologizes for Obama gun joke

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (UPI) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Friday apologized for telling an audience of gun rights supporters an offstage noise was Barack Obama ducking a gunman.

Huckabee, formerly a challenger for this year's Republican presidential nomination, was speaking at the National Rifle Organization convention in Louisville, Ky., when he made the joke about the Democratic presidential hopeful. As Huckabee was delivering his remarks, there was a thumping sound offstage.

"That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair, he's getting ready to speak," Huckabee joked. "Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor."

Huckabee late Friday issued a statement apologizing for the remark, The New York Times reported.

"I made an off hand remark that was in no way intended to offend or disparage Sen. Obama," the statement said. "I apologize that my comments were offensive. That was never my intention."

Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, has called for extending the national assault weapons ban, limits on gun sales, and a national law against carrying concealed weapons, with few exceptions.

Speaking with reporters Friday in South Dakota, Obama said he sees gun ownership as an individual constitutional right but said there should be "common sense" laws on background checks and other processes meant to promote gun safety.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 05/16/2008

Share this Story