Miami Herald: Kendrick Meek reaffirms he's in Senate race to stay

BY BETH REINHARD AND MICHAEL VAN SICKLER crline HERALD/TIMES STAFF WRITERS

Democrat Kendrick Meek lashed out at independent Charlie Crist for 'false rumors' that former President Bill Clinton had asked him to drop out of the Senate race.

``[Clinton] didn't ask me to drop out of the race,'' Meek told Fox & Friends.

Meek said he told Clinton that he was not going to bow out of the race. ```

That's your decision,''' Meek recalled Clinton telling him during a conversation backstage at a rally in Florida.

Realistically Meek has no chance of winning and he has been third in the three candidate race according to a variety of polls since the Florida primary ended. Meek should be attacking Marco Rubio, the front runner, instead of Charlie Crist.

source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/29/1897884/kendrick-meek-reaffirms-hes-in.html

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NYT: Bill Clinton Tried to Get Meek to Drop Out of Florida senate race

October 28, 2010, 7:19 pm
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR AND JEFF ZELENY

Former President Bill Clinton last week tried to convince Kendrick Meek, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Florida, to drop out of the race.  Mr. Meek changed his mind at the last minute.

A Clinton’s spokespersson, said the former president believed that Mr. Meek would not win on Tuesday.  Clinton urged Meek to drop out and endorse indepndant Charlie Crist, the state’s governor. Crist is also in the race as an independant.

The Clinton effort hoped to prevent the state’s Senate seat from falling into the hands of Marco Rubio, the Republican who is leading both of his rivals in the polls.

“I will not drop out of this race for any reason,” Mr. Meek said at the time.

Mr. Clinton, who is a close friend of Mr. Meek, had come close to convincing him to drop out last week. The pair even came close to sMr. Meek had been expected to endorse Mr. Crist and hold a rally on Oct. 26.


Rightardia bleives Clinton made the right call. Meek has become at best a spoiler for Charlie Crist. 

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POLITICO.com: Kendrick Meek may drop out of the Florida Senate race

By MEREDITH SHINER | 10/11/10 10:06 AM EDT

Democrat Kendrick Meek said Monday he is "absolutely not" in negotiations with independent Charlie Crist to drop out of the three-way Florida Senate race, insisting he is "running for first."

Nice talk, Kendrick, but you are in third place and really have little chance of winning this election. The Senate needs more independents in it if we cannot elect a Democrat.

Meek has been denying reports, originating from a Wall Street Journal story last week, that he is considering dropping out of the race in order to keep Republican favorite Marco Rubio from becoming Florida's next senator.

When pushed as to whether it was more important to keep Rubio, the conservative candidate, out of the Senate, Meek dodged the question.

President Obama recently cut a radio ad for Meek prior to his trip to the state for a pair of fundraisers. 

In it, the president says he "strongly supports" Meek:

Kendrick's been a powerful voice for Floridians: standing up to special interests, to hold Wall Street accountable, fighting the insurance industry to make sure health care isn't denied to our children because of a preexisting condition, working to eliminate subsidies to banks so young people can afford a college education, and Kendrick strongly opposes extending tax breaks for the wealthy and has worked tirelessly to expand the middle class and support small businesses. So please join me in supporting Kendrick Meek for Senate.

source: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43397.html

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Kendrick Meek's upbeat Florida Senate ad

Both Florida Democrats Alex Sink who is running for governor and  Kendric Meek who is running for the US Senate are running upbeat ads. It easy to tell who is a Republican or Democrat in the upcoming election.

Most of the Republicans are running away for their dismal Florida records and trying to run against Obama.

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Rightardia endorses Kendric Meek for US Senator

Rightardia's staff met Kendrick Meek at the state Democratic convention in Orlando.

He is soft spoken and worked as a Florida highway patrolman. His opponent, Jeff Greene is a California transplant who has run for office as a Republican in the past.

This is what Wikipedia says about Meek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendrick_Meek

Press on Meek's opponent is not so flattering. On July 23, 2010, the St Petersburg Times reported that Greene's yacht Summerwind had possibly caused damage to a coral reef off the coast of Belize when it attempted to drop anchor.

The alleged incident occurred in 2005 when Greene was not present on the vessel. The chief environmental officer of Belize's Department of the Environment informed the newspaper that a fine of up to $1.87 million could possibly have been levied over the incident 

If guilt had been determined. After speaking with the authorities and offering to pay any necessary fines, the crew was allowed to depart the country. Ultimately, there was no finding of fact against Greene or any member of his crew, no fines were levied and no fines went unpaid. 

The St. Petersburg Times also recently reported that Geene traveled to Cuba and broke the US embargo. He returned to his ship, the Summerwind, with a box of Cuban cigars. which is illegal in the US.

Apparently he has mistreated the crew members of the Summerwind and owes money to one of his former captains.That is hard to understand for man who is a billionaire and who also lives in south Florida.

Meek has the legislative experience in the Florida Statehouse and US Congress. 
A 'Johnny Come Lately" like Greene who was a former Republican leaves a big question mark in the mind of the Rightardia staffers.

Florida does not need to put another Ben Nelson (D-NB) in the US Senate. We need someone like Kendrick Meek who has solid Democratic credentials.

Could Greene be a Republican who is trying to hijack a Democratic primary? 

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Capital Soup: James Carville endorses Kendrick Meek for the US Senate

Kendrick Meek For U.S. Senate: Top-notch August 4, 2010 Politics

This is where the rubber meets the road.

Florida needs a true Democrat in the Senate — and it’s up to us to make that happen. I know how much you’ve already done to help Kendrick Meek put together a Senate race fueled by the grassroots. But today, Kendrick’s campaign is facing their biggest test yet — the last filing deadline before the August 24 primary, just three weeks away.

With a self-funding billionaire pumping his own funds into this race — and saying he’ll do whatever it takes to win — Kendrick’s counting on grassroots supporters like us to rally together and build the resources he needs. We have less than 15 hours to show the pundits, the GOP, and Florida voters that Kendrick has what it takes to win.

Here’s what we all know: We need Kendrick in the Senate if we’re going to pull ourselves out of the giant hole the Bush administration left in its wake. He’s a true public servant with a big heart, a proven record, and a plan to get our country back on track. He was against drilling before and after the spill that devastated our coasts. He’s fought to keep Florida class sizes small so that teachers can teach and students can learn. And, if you can believe this, he’s the only person in this race who has never run for office as a Republican.

But here’s what we can’t forget: This campaign is truly in our hands. Kendrick has put together a top-notch team that’s working around the clock to get the job done. And that’s all been possible because of you.

We have to keep that energy up through the finish line to win this race — and it all starts with tonight’s filing deadline.

Click here to contribute to Kendrick’s Senate campaign before midnight tonight and make sure we elect the one true Democrat in this race!

When there’s this much on the line, somebody has to step up and take action. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do now for Kendrick.

Sincerely,

(signed)

James Carville

POLITICO 44: Obma supports Kendrick Meek for Florida Senate

By JONATHAN ALLEN & MAGGIE HABERMAN | 7/23/10 10:48 PM EDT

Black lawmakers are prodding the White House to get more involved in Florida Senate hopeful Kendrick Meek's campaign. There is growing concern that weak backing from President Barack Obama will signal to Democrats that it’s all right to help independent Charlie Crist.

Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Florida Democrat, told POLITICO Thursday that he might not work for Obama's reelection if the president doesn't get into gear for Meek. 

If they do not step up their support for Kendrick, then they cannot expect that I and my allies will support them in 2012," Hastings said, after describing the West Wing's treatment of Meek as "poor.

Hastings and Meek were among the Sunshine State congressional members who worked against Obama in the presidential races and who stayed with Hillary Clinton until long after it was clear she had no path to victory.

Rep. Barbara Lee, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said black lawmakers have made "very clear" to the White House and congressional leaders that black lawmakers expect total support for Meek.

Rightardia comment: The Rightardia staffers met Kendrick Meek at the Democratic Convention in Tallahassee. He is a former state trooper and has a list of impressive endorsements. We think he a better choice in the primary than Jeff Green, a California transplant billionaire who has ran as a Republican in the past.


Can Meek beat Charlie Crist, who is now an independent, in the General Election? Rightardia has its doubts. Crist has been involved in Florida politics for decades and his brand in well-known in Florida.