'I think she's misunderstood what Michelle Obama is trying to do,' Huckabee says of Palin. Huck: Palin wrong, FLOTUS right

Potential GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says Sarah Palin’s wrong and Michelle Obama’s right, at least when it comes to the first lady’s push to combat childhood obesity.

“With all due respect to my colleague and friend Sarah Palin, I think she's misunderstood what Michelle Obama is trying to do,” the former Arkansas governor said Tuesday on the “Curtis Sliwa Show.”


Michelle Obama has pushed several initiatives to encourage kids to exercise and eat well, including advocating for the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law last week.

Palin has made clear more than once that she sees the first lady’s efforts as an overstep by the federal government. Most recently, on the episode of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” that aired Sunday, the former vice presidential candidate dedicated the s’mores her family was making to the first lady. "This is in honor of Michelle Obama, who said the other day we should not have dessert,” Palin said.

Overweight for most of his life, Huckabee lost more than 100 pounds after a 2003 health scare and has since become an advocate for healthful eating and exercise.

“Michelle Obama's not trying to tell people what to eat or not trying to force the government's desires on people,” Huckabee said. “She’s stating the obvious, that we do have an obesity problem in this country.”

He added: “The first lady's campaign is on target.”