US President Barack Obama on Monday chided Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for invoking the Holocaust in his criticism of the Iran nuclear deal —marking a rare, long-distance clash between the sitting president and the field of Republicans vying to replace him. Speaking at a press conference during his visit to Ethiopia, Obama said the comments from the GOP White House contender were part of a "pattern" of remarks from candidates that "would be considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad."
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is likening the agreement on an Iranian nuclear deal to "marching the Israelis to the door of the oven," a reference to the Holocaust. The former Arkansas governor made the tweet Sunday, a day after first making the comparison when denouncing President Barack Obama for his role in the agreement reached July 14 by the United States and five other world powers with Tehran.
Responding, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Huckabee's statement was "grossly irresponsible" and called on him to apologise. But a Huckabee spokeswoman said Sunday his comments reflect a longstanding position that "the Iran deal is a bad deal, bad
for America and bad for Israel." Huckabee's tweet called
on Congress to reject the nuclear deal.