Former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee apologized Friday for cracking an off-color joke at a National Rifle Association meeting about a gun being pointed at Barack Obama.

Huckabee made the impromptu remark in response to an offstage noise during his speech in Louisville, Ky.

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

The quip was met with almost total silence.

The Obama campaign had no comment, but Huckabee later issued an apology.

"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," he said in a statement.

Huckabee dropped out of the GOP race earlier in the year after it became clear John McCain had enough delegates to clinch the nomination.

Huckabee, McCain and several other Republicans used Obama as their punching bag Friday at the NRA meeting, criticizing him for his gun control and foreign policy positions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.