Huckabee describes Iraq as our 'World War III'

By JOHN WHITSON
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007

NASHUA – Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told a small lunch crowd at Daniel Webster College yesterday the next President has to recognize the war in Iraq's true gravity.

"We need to understand that this is, in fact, World War III," said Huckabee, a Republican, who announced co-chairmen of his Presidential exploratory committee in New Hampshire.

Former gubernatorial candidate Fred Bramante and former Manchester Republican committee chairman Cliff Hurst will lead Huckabee's early efforts here.

Huckabee delivered a wide-ranging speech to about 40 people, many of them business leaders, at what was billed as the first National Leaders Forum, a newly created series designed to give Presidential hopefuls another avenue to reach New Hampshire voters.

Former Congressman Charlie Bass and several state politicians also turned out to hear Huckabee's message.

Huckabee, who served 10 years as governor, spun tales from his childhood in Arkansas and showed a smooth comedic touch while hitting on topics ranging from Iraq to health care to education reform.

The speech was billed in advance as Huckabee's response to a national anti-tax group's recent report criticizing his record on taxes and government regulation as "mixed."

But Huckabee touched only briefly on the issue, saying he cut taxes 90 times as governor and adding that he advocates a national tax structure that is "flatter, fairer, more finite."

Bass said he came out to the forum because Huckabee "has an exciting message." But the six-term congressman who was defeated in November stopped well short of offering his endorsement.

"I'm remaining uncommitted at this point," he said.

Bramante, a member of the State Board of Education who was a strong supporter of Arizona Sen. John McCain in 2000, said he's switched camps because Huckabee shares his passion for school reform.

"I love McCain, but I think Mike Huckabee will transform this country," said Bramante, citing another former Arkansas governor when asked about Huckabee's chances of being elected President.

"New Hampshire has a habit of turning nobodies into somebodies," said Bramante.

Huckabee drew his first laugh of the day when telling the crowd to beware of politicians who have ready answers for everything.

"We need people like me," he said, adding, "I'm sure that's my YouTube moment for the week."

Huckabee said jihadists in Iraq are enemies that mask themselves in a "perversion of piety" and said their goal is "the utter destruction and annihilation of those of us who sit in this room today."

The country needs to reduce health care costs, he said, by turning the system upside down and focusing on wellness and prevention instead of disease and treatment.

"We don't have a health care crisis," said Huckabee, "we have a health crisis."

On education, Huckabee lauded the effort New Hampshire has recently adopted to shape courses and methods of study around individual student needs.

Gaining credit for life experience, like earning music credits for playing in a high school rock band, is an idea that should be adopted throughout the country, he said.

Deanna Galligan and Jennifer Staretorp, both Daniel Webster sophomores, were among the few students at yesterday's forum.

"As a first-time voter," said Galligan, "I basically just wanted to get as much information as possible.