Mike Huckabee said Saturday that President Barack Obama’s decision to nominate a gay man to lead the Army was made so he could appease “America’s homosexuals.”
“It’s clear President Obama is more interested in appeasing America’s homosexuals than honoring America’s heroes,” the former Arkansas governor said in a statement released by his campaign. “Veterans suicide is out-of-control and military readiness is dangerously low, yet Obama is so obsessed with pandering to liberal interest groups he’s nominated an openly gay civilian to run the Army. Homosexuality is not a job qualification. The U.S. military is designed to keep Americans safe and complete combat missions, not conduct social experiments.”
Obama announced on Friday he was nominating Eric K. Fanning to lead the Army. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the first openly gay secretary of a U.S. military branch.
Fanning has served as acting under secretary of the Army since June, and before that, served as chief of staff to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. Fanning also served as under secretary of the Air Force and deputy undersecretary of the Navy.
An inquiry from CNN asking the Huckabee campaign to comment on Fanning’s qualifications was not immediately returned. A request for comment from the White House also was not immediately returned.
Source: CNN | Eugene Scott
