Get Ready for Huckabee

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will appear on Meet the Press Sunday to "talk about 2008," he tells Whispers in what is very likely his first foray into the 2008 presidential race.

While the GOP conservative–a dark horse on the list of most political junkies–won't reveal his plans, sources tell our Suzi Parker that he will start the process and signal that during the interview. A clue? He travels to Iowa, the first presidential caucus state, Tuesday and Wednesday. While there, Huckabee is expected to make some waves by naming a high-profile GOP activist his Iowa chairman.

Last year, Huckabee hired Eric Woolson, George W. Bush's chief Iowa spokesman in 1999–2000, to coordinate his legislative, grass-roots, and public-relations efforts in Iowa and a handful of other states for his "Hope for America" PAC. Huckabee also speaks Sunday morning at a forum hosted by National Review. Over the past couple of weeks, Huckabee has been on a book-signing tour to tout his new effort, From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 Stops to Restoring America's Greatness, and the ex-guv seems pleased with the reviews.

"Response has been surprisingly positive with a typical response being that it's a thorough treatment of the major issues but from a common-sense, practical perspective rather than from a rigid, ideological one," Huckabee says. "Those who read the book are somewhat surprised to find a conservative Republican talking about the environment, music and the arts, alternative domestic energy sources, health, and the urgency of addressing the nation's infrastructure."