Huckabee: Gingrich ad citing ’08 commercial ‘not authorized’

{mosads}But Huckabee, who now hosts a show of Fox News, says the Gingrich campaign was not authorized to use the clip.

“Any use of an out of context quote from the Republican Presidential primary 4 years ago in a political ad to advocate for the election or defeat of another candidate is not authorized, approved, or known in advance by me,” Huckabee said in a statement released by his political action committee. “I have made it clear that I have not and do not anticipate making an endorsement in the GOP primary, but will support the nominee. My hope is to defeat Barack Obama and win majorities in both the House and Senate, not to attack any of the Presidential candidates who might be our nominee.”

Interviewed about the ad Friday on Fox News, Huckabee argued that his statement was a general one – not intended only to refer to Romney – and that he had not given the Gingrich campaign permission to use the ad. He added that he would “love for him” to pull the commercial since he had not formally endorsed in the GOP primary.

This was not the first time Huckabee has distanced himself from an ad during this election cycle. Earlier this month, Romney’s campaign aired a ad that pulled supportive quotes from Huckabee’s radio show. The former governor was arguing that Gingrich should not criticize Romney’s career at investment firm Bain Capital.

“This in no way is an endorsement of any candidate,” Huckabee said in a statement. “Any attempt by anyone to imply an endorsement of a candidate or opposition to a candidate is not true.”