Huckabee for VP? Maybe not...

Just a few days ago it was reported that Mike Huckabee was on John McCain's short list for a running mate.  Maybe he was, but after today, maybe not anymore.  Speaking before the National Rifle Association convention, reacting to a noise offstage, Huckabee's well deserved reputation for humor failed him.  Big time:

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.”

The "audience laughter" came before the gun remark.  Allahpundit has the video:

It comes at around the halfway point.  The silence is excruciating.

And the silence from the McCain campaign might be just as excruciating for Huckabee.  I think the short list just got shorter.

*** Update 9:55 PM CT***

Mike Huckabee apologizes:

During my speech at the NRA 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.