Former GOP presidential contender turned TV personality Mike Huckabee rallied Tennessee Republicans Saturday by painting President Obama as anti-business.

“I think he borders on being hostile to the private sector,” Huckabee said, referring to campaign comments made by the President this week. “What we saw was the real heart of Barack Obama as it relates to business,” he said.

President Obama’s remarks were part of a stump speech in Roanoke, Virginia.

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” the President said. “There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney attacked the idea, and Huckabee followed suit at the Tennessee GOP’s annual Statesmen’s Dinner.

“To insult [entrepreneurs] and to say that they weren’t really working that hard, that it was all about what ‘Uncle Sugar’ did for them, is an insult to their hard work,” Huckabee said to hundreds gathered at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

The Main Event

While a primary opponent of Romney’s in 2008, Huckabee gave his full-throated endorsement. Huckabee also said he’s not concerned about whether the former Bain Capital CEO releases more of his tax returns.

“I’m not so much concerned about whether Mitt Romney has enough money to live on.” Huckabee said. “I’m pretty sure he does.”

Tennessee GOP chairman Chris Devaney said the Statesmen’s Dinner raised $500,000 to put toward Republican campaigns in the state.

Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators, all seven Republican U.S. Representatives from Tennessee and leadership of the state House and Senate all spoke at the event. One notable absence was Governor Bill Haslam, who only appeared in a video message. A spokesman says the governor had a wedding to attend.