Republican presidential candidate Mike
Huckabee has criticized President Barack Obama for his decision to
include an openly gay bishop and blogger to welcome Pope Francis.
According to the Washington Post,
guests attending Wednesday's White House event include “the first
openly gay Episcopal bishop, a leader for transgender rights, and a
gay Catholic blogger.”
“It's all petty, partisan politics,”
Huckabee said in a Daily Caller op-ed. “Exploiting the Pope
for cheap political points at the expense of millions of Americans
and Catholics around the world is a shameless new low for this
Administration. This classless stunt is disrespectful and
disgraceful.”
During an appearance on Fox
News, Huckabee compared the White House guest list to setting up
an open bar at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
“I'm not sure that inviting people
who are openly at odds with the Vatican… Why do you put them in the
very likely position where they would be photographed with him and
make it a very embarrassing moment?” he rhetorically asked.