May 16, 2008 5:42 PM

ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: Former GOP hopeful and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is back in the news this week, making a splash when he took a hit at Senator Barack Obama during the annual National Rifle Association meeting.

Huckabee made an off-color joke during his speech in Louisville, Kentucky, when a loud bang was heard off-stage.

"That was Barack Obama," Huckabee quipped, "He Just tripped off a chair.  He was getting ready to speak.  Somebody aimed a gun at him and hehe dove for the floor."

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

Huckabee was always quick on his feet on the campaign trail.  There was the time the lights went out in the auditorium and he suggested it was a sign from God to wrap up his speech, or the time a cell phone
rang in the audience and Huckabee suggested it might be a McCain supporter calling to tell him to leave the race.  But, did this one cross the line?  After all, a joke about Obama's safety runs a fine line given that Obama accepted Secret Service protection quite early in the race for fear of violence against him. 

The question remains, how might this effect Huckabee's chances at landing the coveted slot at the bottom of the GOP ticket?  Earlier in the week, a U.S. News and World Report blog quoted a top McCain fundraiser as saying Huckabee topped the list for potential GOP vice presidential candidates.  After a week of buzz pertaining to just such a possibility, did Huckabee shoot himself in the foot today in front of the NRA?  Perhaps only John McCain knows.

Calls to the Huckabee camp for comment were not immediately returned.