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Subscribe to RSSPOLITICO's Ben Smith reports tonight that former President Bill Clinton, a longtime ally of Florida Senate candidate Kendrick Meek, got close to convincing the Democratic candidate to drop out of the three-way race in the face of flagging poll numbers.
Meek's exit could have paved the way for a victory by independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist and Meek have split the votes of Democratic-leaning voters, allowing conservative Republican Marco Rubio a comfortable first-place lead. A recent poll showed Meek with just 15 percent of the vote.
Smith reports that Clinton almost succeeded. Twice.
Clinton campaigned with Meek in Florida on Oct. 19 and 20, and thought he had won Meek over in an evening conversation the night they spent together in Jacksonville. But as the week wore on, Meek lost his enthusiasm for the arrangement, spurred in part, a third Democratic source said, by his wife’s belief that he could still win the race. Clinton spoke with Meek again at week’s end, three Democrats said, and again Meek said he would drop out.
“It was a completely done deal,” one source said.
The Crist, Meek and Clinton camps even set a date for an endorsement rally: the following Tuesday, Oct. 26.
But Meek changed his mind again last weekend, writes Smith.
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who can blame him...politics aside.."Hey..go ahead and pull yourself out of the race for a job (it is how he makes his money)....I think it is all Meeks has done most of his adult life - I would be hesitant as well..."Huh...you want me to quit? This is how I pay the rent..."
Once again, Dems want a black guy to take one for the team. Party of the little guy? Yeah, right.
Maybe, but don't you think there would be some quid pro quo as part of the deal? As in, "I can't promise you anything buuut, if you drop out, there could a nice "fill-in-the-black" position waiting for a good soldier like yourself".
Happens in politics all the time.
"fill in the black"? You're right, it happens a lot in liberal politics. "Do as I say and we'll take care of you". Puh-lease.
Meek is not living up to his name.
absolutely racist.
Spanky, how is this racist??? I am an AA woman, my thoughts are Meek should drop out, he has no chance of winning. However, he will always be remembered as a spoiler, so much for his career.
Not too many black senators.
Why did Clinton pick the black guy. Why didn't he persuade Crist to drop out? I think that's racist.
i'm also an AA, why should we support Crist... just because he's againt Rubio??? Just in the debate the other night... Crist called the HCR Obamacare and says he wont support it fir the most part... what else do you need to know?
We know he's a Republican-lite... I would rather choose someone like Meek who we at least know where he stands.. its called a Principled position... and we need more principled politician (I know, an oxymoron) in this great nation of ours. No more of this tit for tat (i give u something, you give me something, crap).
And you know what else? Billy flipping Clinton needs to step down... he should be an elder statesman and go fishing...
Sure, all those voters that supported Meeks through the primaries? Screw them. What do they know? Just have the black guy quit so two non-black boys can fight it out for the position.
I guess the "First Black President" was just the guy to do the dirty work on this one.
Bill Clinton has it backwards, Christ should be booted as he did nothing for the state. I would send in Meek who could actually get something done. Nobody gives a crap about color when they don't have a job.
Sincerely,
Florida White Cracker.............
"black?" Did you perhaps mean to say "blank?"
No bilweeler... I think it was a subliminal message! lol
After all... they're not even attempting to hide their philosophy these days!
Feisty - You never know when to shut up do you? Puh-lease is one of your kind. And you're right, you guys don't even attempt to hide your philosophy these days.
Let's face it. No matter what they claim, minorities mean "jack" to the Democratic party. When it comes to winning, Dems will throw them under the bus just as quickly as any other group. They are equal opportunity pragmatic.
JH, so full of the holiness of his own position that he believes that anyone who disagrees with him should not be allowed to speak out. There is an all American view for you.
It will require at least a half century for the nation to recover from Clinton.
Why not 100?
Yes and I am sure that you're wearing a special hat so the CLINTON can't steal your thoughts right now...lol
BUT- can't mention Bush no more!
y' hypocrits!
Cynical...very cynical.
But, also typical.
Throw Kendrick Meek and African-American voters in Florida overboard for the "greater good".
Do Florida Democrats really believe that "sort-of" Republican Charlie Crist represents the greater good?
Did President Obama sign off on this?
bill clinton is out to do in obama. he wants hilliary in the white house before he dies and will take obama and turn him every which way but loose. obama has practically guaranteed his one term as president by abandoning a real democrat, much less a real african american democrat. way to go barack. that white half finally showed up.
Charlie Crist now says he was in contact with the White House regarding Kendrick Meek dropping out of the Florida Senate race, but he declined to identify who he spoke to.
Again...why on earth would Florida's Democratic voters go along with dumping Kendrick Meek to support someone like Charlie Crist?
Maybe the same reason why republicans are voting for the loser of the republican primary in Alaska?
It's like Hollywood Squares politics. Charley Weaver to block...:)
Mixed Up Bag: The Clinton Whitehouse?
In your dreams, truther.
The Obama White House. You think Bubba's behind this?
He's way too smart to fly solo on this...this is the move of a political maladroit.
That would suggest that the current Oval Office team cooked this up.
I wish Bill would try to convince obama to step aside!
dont you see what slick willie is up to here. talks obama into screwing a democrat in florida who is losing, try to pull in a once was republican to get a win, maybe. but then the dem he is screwing over says, thanks but no thanks and obama gets mud on his face for going against the party and blacks in the party in particular. not smart barack but it sure makes hilliary look better to black democrats. good job bill, good job.
Charlie Crist is just another political opportunist and deserves to lose... he wouldn't have been an independent if his dummaz didn't lose to Marco Rubio who actually seems to be more centrist that good ol boy charlie......
Since I'm more on the left leaning.... I wouldnt take Meek over Charlie.... I would actually take Rubio over Charlie.... Meek as stuck with his positions and not flip flop with the Wind like Crist. I wonder what Clinton was actually thinking.... At least Meek will lose with honor.
Jeebus, I thought it was more like best man for the job wins... not the dude with friends in the highest places.
why do you think obama and dems want him, he is not a republican nor a conservative he is a true blue politician, a liar and a boob. i will give mr. meek his due, he started sometihng and he is going to finish it. that is the mark of a man, not a politician like crist. crist should have gracefully bowed out when he lost to rubio, he might have a future had he done the right thing. now his political life is hanging by a thread and i hope florida voters are smart enough to see thru him. talk about transparent. slimy politician is crist.
Yep, j. wesley: we are afraid of the "teabaggers". Stupid people are dangerous. Stupid people with power infinitely more so. We can kiss America goodbye if the "Great Unwashed" get into office. But, we will have you and your ilk to thank, right?
Media is playing voters in Florida like fools. If Meeks drops out and endorses Crist I am not convince he can win, despite all these arguments to the contrary. Remember, most of these pundits were saying that Crist would win in a three man race as an independent, they were wrong. Guess what, they are wrong again. Crist is pulling better than Rubio with independents, if he casts off his mantle as an independent and sides with Democrats, he will loose enough independents to loose the election. Makes no difference, this argument is only intended to discredit Rubio's accomplishments if he were to win.
this is the same mind set obama, pelosi, and reid used to get health care thru the congress. this is the same mind set that is now coming back to haunt the democrats now and in the future. if you think that america is gonna forget this after tuesday, you must be out of your mind. i know the whole taudry affair will hold with me until obama is either impeached or voted out in 2012. since i am from louisiana our democratic senator, the lovely ms. landrieu is next on my list to have removed from office. you may have worked some stupid deal to get a few miserable dollars to louisiana but you screwed the entire country and state in the long run. see ya mary.
First the Joe Sestak bribe in Pennsylvania; then the Andrew Romanoff bribe in Colorado; now their trying to bribe Kendrick Meet in Florida. How low will Obama and Clinton go? What total scum! One day Clinton and Obama are supporting Meek, the next day they dump him for the likes of Christ. And people trust these two. Christ, Clinton and Obama are nothing but low grade trash.
Ron S - Talk about disenfranchising the voters. If the Democratic Party Elders don't like who the voters picked, they'll be right in the mix to "correct" the problem. And you left out Frank Lautenberg taking over for sure loser, Robert Torricelli back in 2002. It's a definite pattern for the Democrats.
Clinton did not receive the hummer from Lewinski in the Oval office. It is no more a true statement to say that he did, than for me to write that Bush sucked off Cheney in the Oval office. Get your facts straight or post this idiocy somewhere else.
Even with Meek-dropping-out story, there just isn't enough time left for Charlie Crist to pull this out
http://bit.ly/cbLaba
Even the Dems know how bad they are----they are telling their own members to just drop out. Could Bill please go tell Obama to drop out also?
It will only get funnier the next five days. Yes we can, butt?
Meek can't win. It's better if he supports Charlie Crist. Other wise Tea Party extremist
Rubio might win.
So, throw the Dem candidate under the bus? Crist is a career politician who changes his views as often as he changes his underwear. I can't stand Meek's policies, but at least I admire that he will stand by them.
R B, there are a lot tea party extremist out there (...ala Bachmann, Angle), but Rubio isn't one of them... he's a politician on the right... but I'm OK with that. But he so far just seems like a politician (meaning - self absorbed and ocassionally lies) and not a nut-job like other extremist currently taking over the repub party.
Meek has worked hard and should not throw in the towel.
He's going to lose and put Rubio into office by continuing to run. He can write his own ticket in the democratic party and keep Rubio from winning if he is smart enough to "play ball".
Maybe this will open some African American eyes, they are just tools of the democratic party.
whats going on here is political practice (not racial practice)... this article has no hint of race or racism in it... let's keep it to our closets (like when whites call black people n-word in their homes and black people call whites c-word in their home, lol).
You may be wondering what the c-word is.... hint: cra*ker
Tunde - You keep believing and Santa might come see you. If this was a Republican, racist would be the first word we heard.
They may just be the "tools" of the democratic party, but that's better than being the ni66ers in the Republican party.
Bill is out pounding the pavement for Hillary in 2012 for President. Funny she is out of the country now, sitting this one out. Wait for the activity to start after November 2nd.
Witchhazel - You are exactly right. Hollywood and Hillary have been strangley quiet.
But then again, How do you defend trying to make chicken salad out of chicken $hit.
Obama is running around the country and trying to get the blacks and Latinos out to vote for democrats he is sending Bill Clinton to Florida to get the black (Meek) to drop out so maybe a white guy can beat a Latino candidate. WTF is going on in the democratic party, this really shows how screwed up they really are. Throw the black guy under the train like Obama did with his minister. Obama says "we need the black vote but don't vote for that black guy in Florida."
sfcret... how in da world is this article about black or not black?? get ya head outta ya arse.... .
I think you got your head in your arse..if you can't see what this is about. Last time I checked Meek was black and Crist is white. You ask for the black vote, but try and get the black candidate out of the race hoping a white man wins. What kind of crap is that? If a republican asked a black to quit there would be all kind of liberals screaming "racist."
Tunde - You are the only racist posting at the moment. Your disappointed in your hero, your party and you see a slaughter coming Tuesday. You used the word cracker but what if someone has used the N word?
This is for both sfcret & Pope of Texas
let me tell you something... I would say the same thing even if it was a democrat spewing the same crap as you are..... give me a flipping break...
So wait, by your logic: because the guy in the article happens to be black.... it means the article is about race? wow! ur logic is truly sound.
oh and yeah, Obama is truly my hero.... jugemental are you... like you know who I am or even whether I support Obama...
I lean left and darn proud of it... it just ticks me when the race is thrown around when it should be left out of most discourse in today's society. Welcome to the 21st century buddy
Tunde - You "Bend Over" and take what the democrats dish out for you because you have been fooled and programed. You have no original thoughts, only what you have always believed.
I was raised a democrat but then I learned to read.
Tunde, the democrats interject race all the time. The democrats will play the race card in a heart beat. You just keep leaning left and taking the left wing crap, maybe someday you will get a real life. How many times have I heard the democrats, especially the NAACP play the race card, and how about Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton?
hahaa "Pope in TX" you are truly funny, lol; there ya go again being judgemental... tell me something I said that sounds programmed or similar to something that comes out of the liberal left... I've posted quite a bit on this page, so you have a lot of material to sieve through.
Also democrats don't read? and you were raised a democrat? ur parents tried to program you? sorry to hear that Pope.... my parents actually let me think for myself...and thank God for that because I'll chose the best man for the job, rather than the letter behind their name.... (although I naturally lean left)
oh well, its sad to know we live in the same state though... but it's changing... TX will one day become blue and we'll have a beer summit; whatcha say?
sfcret, you and ur friend are truly making my day... making me ROTL... like I said earlier, I dont like when democrats do it and do not like when republicans do it... you guys just rubbed me wrong today...
BTW, I for the most part despise most things done by either Jesse Jackson and Sharpton (and I'm black... so go figure, huh?)
Tunde The worst part is that Barack Obama had prior knowledge.
Lisa... I agree with you that... the elders of each party just need to lay off... they can help them campagne... but to ask them to drop their bid is just quite ludicrous... I mean what if it turned out that Crist was a Child rapist (hypothetical) and Meek had already dropped off due to their heeds; that means we'll be stuck with crist (a sure loss at that point)???
I'm all for honest and fair elections... but for that to happen, party elders needs to back off.
Tunde:
Bend ur azz over. It should be a natural position for you.
When you get tired of getting your arse blowed out, hopefully you will see the light.
ITM... kinda graphic there, are ya?... but wheew... whateva bud... whateva floats ur boat.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=seven+lies+in+under+two+minutes&aq=1
Yea, Obama is like a Bible. Just listen as he speaks in the above 2 minute video.
Joe, you say once again the Demcrats are asking a black guy to take one for the team. Can you name when they did that before and to whom?
What if Rubio was the democrat Crist was the moderate/right indy and MEEK was the republican?
Those outraged voices in support of meek would be rationalizing his withdrawal. Please, it's all about winning and by that I mean MY side winning. The phony outrage is just like the dems who suddenly love and respect any republican beaten by a tea party candidate in the primaries...
Pippo, They did the same thing to David Patterson Democratic Governor on N.Y
David Patterson was an entirely different story but I will admit you did come up with one.
:-)
I encourage Meek to stay the course we need more choices in this country not less. Clinton needs to find another intern to mess around with.
All the democrat sound like Ronald Reagan, I guess they have seen the light. They are running from Polsi and Obama, Reid is dead meat.
Nancy's house will receive a foreclosure notice on Tuesday. They may have to drag her into the parking lot to get the gavel.