Huckabee: Obama 'Appeasing America's Homosexuals' With Gay Army Nominee

— -- Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said today that President Obama’s plan to nominate an openly gay man to be secretary of the Army showed he was "more interested in appeasing America's homosexuals than honoring America's heroes."

"Veterans suicide is out-of-control and military readiness is dangerously low, yet Obama is so obsessed with pandering to liberal interest groups he's nominated an openly gay civilian to run the Army," Huckabee said in a statement.

Obama said Friday that he intended to nominate Eric Fanning, who has served as acting undersecretary of the Army since June, to be secretary of the Army, a civilian position. If confirmed, Fanning would become the first-ever openly gay person to lead a branch of the U.S. military.

"Homosexuality is not a job qualification," Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and ordained Baptist minister, said. "The U.S. military is designed to keep Americans safe and complete combat missions, not conduct social experiments."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ABC News' Alexander Mallin contributed reporting.