Obama dives into GOP primary fight, slams Trump, Huckabee

Story highlights

• President Barack Obama responded to comments Mike Huckabee made over the weekend on his Iran plans
• Obama has previously said he's done with presidential camapaigning, which makes Mondays remarks notable
• Obama tied Huckabee to Donald Trump and other GOP 2016 presidential candidates

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (CNN)President Barack Obama is back on the campaign trail, skewering several top Republicans at a Monday news conference in Ethiopia, where he dubbed their rhetoric "outrageous" and "sad."

At a joint press conference with Ethiopia's prime minister, Obama was asked about comments made by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee who accused the U.S. President of marching Israelis "to the door of the oven" with his nuclear deal with Iran.

"The particular comments of Mr. Huckabee are I think part of just a general pattern that we've seen that is, would be, considered ridiculous if it weren't so sad," Obama said Monday, while defending his administration's rollout of the Iran nuclear deal.

Obama has repeatedly said he's run his last campaign, which made the response all the more notable. His comments marked his most direct entrance to date into the Republicans' 2016 primary fight, which features at least 16 contenders, many of whom have hurled sharp verbal attacks at the White House, the Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and one another.

Obama, who's been deploying a freer, less restrained approach in the self proclaimed "fourth quarter" of his presidency, had largely focused his political attention this year on Congress and stayed away from the 2016 fray -- until now.

He even named dropped Trump, who has continued leading most presidential polls -- including a CNN/ORC poll released Sunday -- despite comments deriding Sen. John McCain's war record.

"When you get rhetoric like this, maybe it gets attention and maybe this is just an effort to push Mr. Trump out of the headlines," Obama said of the comments. "But it's not the kind of leadership that is needed for America right now."

Obama came to the defense of the Arizona senator and former Vietnam POW, describing Trump's remarks as arising "out of a culture where those kinds of outrageous attacks have become far too commonplace and circulate nonstop through the internet and talk radio."

RELATED: What's behind the Trump Bump? A disgruntled GOP electorate

Huckabee was quick to respond to Obama, saying, "What's 'ridiculous and sad' is that President Obama does not take Iran's repeated threats seriously."

"For decades, Iranian leaders have pledged to 'destroy,' 'annihilate,' and 'wipe Israel off the map' with a 'big Holocaust,'" Huckabee said in a statement. "'Never again' will be the policy of my administration and I will stand with our ally Israel to prevent the terrorists in Tehran from achieving their own stated goal of another Holocaust."

The comments were a clear departure from what has seemed like unofficial White House policy in recent weeks, as top Obama aides have responded only sporadically to remarks made by Republican contenders.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has essentially avoided referring to Trump by name in briefings with reporters.

The Iran deal, supporters say, would slow the country's ability to gain a nuclear bomb while also putting in place strict controls on their nuclear development programs. Opponents say the lifting of economic sanctions that Iran would receive in return amounts to a coup for those supporting terrorists.

Huckabee drew headlines over the weekend after comparing the Iran nuclear deal to the Holocaust. "The Iran nuclear deal is marching Israelis to the door of the oven," Huckabee told Breitbart News.

RELATED: Huckabee: Obama marching Israel to 'door of the oven'

Obama criticized a remark from Sen. Tom Cotton, in which the Arkansas Republican told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that Secretary of State John Kerry "acted like Pontius Pilate" by remitting oversight to the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as remarks from Sen. Ted Cruz about the deal backing terrorism.

"We've had a sitting senator who also happens to be running for president suggest that I am the leading state sponsor of terrorism. These are leaders in the Republican party," Obama said.

The President's remarks indicate he has been paying close attention to the GOP contest. White House aides and key Democratic advisers have said privately Obama also views the election of Clinton as vital to protecting and expanding his legacy.

One top Democratic strategist suggested Huckabee's "oven" remark was simply a desperate attempt to drive up his poll numbers in order qualify for the upcoming GOP debates. Some of the upcoming Republican candidate forums promise to exclude contenders who are lagging in public opinion polls. But the strategist also said the "oven" remarks were so offensive, the president had no choice but to respond.

RELATED: Two weeks, two spots: Republicans aim to debate

"The American people deserve better. Certainly presidential debates deserve better," Obama said in reference to the looming Republican candidate forums.

The President, who likes to say he has run his last race for public office, sounded like a politician eager to enter the fray once again.

"In 18 months I'm turning over the keys. I want to make sure I am turning over the keys to somebody who is serious about the serious problems the country faces and the world faces," Obama said. "And that requires on both sides, Democrat and Republican, a sense of seriousness and decorum and honesty," he added.

Obama has clashed with Trump before. Prior to the 2012 presidential race, Trump repeatedly accused Obama of lying about his birthplace. The President, who was born in Hawaii, described Trump as a "carnival barker" at a news conference in 2011, as he unveiled his birth certificate to reporters.