Huckabee restakes centrist claim

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Sunday re-staked his claim as the GOP's best centrist candidate in the race for president.

Huckabee's centrist claim is expected to be tested this week if former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, as expected, officially joins the pool of Republican presidential hopefuls. Speaking on ABC News' "This Week" program, Huckabee said Americans are tired of "Republicans vs. Democrats" and want a president who can govern conservatively while working across party lines.

"What they want is: Will you fix the borders? Will you somehow bring a peaceful and victorious solution to Iraq? Will you change our tax code? Will you make education work?" Huckabee said. "They don't care who gets it done; they just want results."

Thompson has drawn some political heat from social conservatives for having lobbied in favor of abortion rights. Huckabee sidled away from the abortion issue but zeroed in on Thompson's role as a lobbyist and Washington insider.

"My record is somebody who hasn't had a Washington zip code," he said.

Huckabee also said he wants to see universal healthcare but said the United States must move from an "intervention-based" system to a "prevention-based" one.