Washington (CNN) Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee defended renting out his email list to a group selling hidden cures for cancer embedded in Bible verses, saying it was no different than CNN allowing advertisers for catheters or adult diapers to air alongside programming.

"My gosh, that's like saying, 'You run some ads on CNN. Do you personally agree with all the ads that run on CNN?' Huckabee said Wednesday to CNN's Jake Tapper on The Lead.

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"I doubt you do. I'm sure there are some for maybe, I don't know, catheters or adult diapers. They're not products that you use or that you necessarily believe in," the 2016 Republican presidential candidate said. "I don't hold you responsible for that, and in that same way I don't think that people that understand how advertising works would hold me responsible for something that I didn't personally sign up for or endorse."

Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses during his first presidential bid in 2008, explained he couldn't dictate how people decided to use his large email list.

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