Bill Clinton on behalf of Crist, attempted to get Meek to drop out, but Meek said it wasn't serious

[Divine Discontent]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/10/charlie_crist_asked_clinton_ca.html


Charlie Crist personally called a top adviser to Bill Clinton and asked if the former president would discuss with Kendrick Meek the possibility of dropping out of the Florida Senate race, according to a source close to Clinton.

The revelation adds a bit more detail to a story breaking tonight that's roiling the Florida race. Politico's Ben Smith reported this evening that Clinton tried to persuade Meek to drop out of the race and almost succeeded. Meek has adamantly denied that he ever considered dropping out.

According to a source close to Clinton, the former president's conversations with Meek were directly initiated by Crist. He called top Clinton lawyer Doug Band and asked him if Clinton would make the appeal directly to Meek, the source tells me.

Crist's role in trying to get Clinton to persuade Meek to consider dropping out will add to a sense of Crist's desperation in the final days of a race that appear to be swinging towards Marco Rubio.

By Greg Sargent | October 28, 2010; 9:54 PM ET

[2Design]

1. dupe

[Georgia farmer]

2. Meeks denying it ever happened.

Somebody on Keith said it never happened. Charlie Crist said it did. Who to believe?

[Divine Discontent]

9. Meek, in another news report, said, Clinton's requests weren't "serious". Good grief. FASCIST RUBIO

it is, then. You know Jebby is thrilled. They have their hands in this.

[DearAbby]

3. Fla. Senate candidate denies Clinton asked him to quit

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39901311/ns/politics-decision_2010/

[ChiciB1]

4. There HAVE Been Reports & Rumors For Some Time Now, PLUS

I've also heard that MANY of the higher ups in Tallahassee have been saying they support Meek, but behind closed doors many intend to vote for Crist.

If you lived here you might be hearing A LOT of this. So many people I talk to say they are voting for Crist AND know others who are doing so also. Polls show that Rubio only has 7 pt. lead, but deep in my gut I'm thinking it's less than that. Too much "talk" going around and too MANY Democrats seem to be thinking long and hard just what it will mean to have Rubio in the Senate.

It's not only that he will be in the Senate, it's also that he's Jebby "chosen one!" Jebby's guidance here isn't only because Rubio is a Repuke. So many think that Jebby is trying to position himself in a way that he will ACTUALLY be able to run for POTUS!

There is much more at stake than just Rubio winning. Once Rubio is in place, the REAL FUN will take place. That foot in the door may very well mean a true pathway for Jebby! So we get a DOUBLE whammy and all that goes along with it. The POWER TOWER is being built, and we all know just how sleazy the BUSHIES can be!

I can't say that i know anything about what Clinton might have done, but honestly I can't say I doubt it. Too many people have talked the same way about Meek, but now it's too late. It's not the fault of the people of this state that the Democratic leaders at the top are so lame and didn't try harder to find a better candidate to run. I have nothing against Meek, but he just NEVER got traction and unfortunately we're at the end run and it looks CRAPPY!

It IS TRULY SCARY!

[Divine Discontent]

7. thanks for an interesting post. yes, all but 1 person I know here who is Dem. is voting for Crist

as Meek never stood a chance when Crist decided to run, thinking he had a chance to beat the teabagger favorite. I would have hoped that Meek would have dropped out last week, and, that makes sense then about the timing from Crist to Clinton and getting the Big Dog to reach out to Meek to see if he'd drop out. Meek denying this really stains his honesty. He should have just done what the former president asked, because he as 15% of the vote, and that would make Crist win if he could get half of that!

[spanone]

5. he's denying it at this very moment

[Divine Discontent]

6. ugh.. so frustrating. I read this and I feel like Meek could care less if the fascist is in the

Senate for 6 years!


"His withdrawal, polls suggest, would throw core Democratic voters to the moderate governor, rocking a complicated three-way contest and likely throwing the election to Crist.

The former president’s top aide, Doug Band, initially served as the intermediary between Meek and Crist, and Clinton became involved only when Meek signaled that he would seriously consider the option, Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed to POLITICO.

“The argument was: ‘You can be a hero here. You can stop him, you can change this race in one swoop,’” said another Democrat familiar with the conversations, who said Clinton had bluntly told Meek that he couldn’t win the race.

Crist also confirmed the planned scenario Thursday night, telling MSNBC's Keith Olbermann: "I had numerous phone calls with people very close to President Clinton."

Meek conceded in an interview on CNN that he and Clinton had discussed his leaving the race, but denied that the conversation was serious.

Clinton campaigned with Meek in Florida on Oct. 19 and 20, and thought he had won Meek over. 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."


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44337.html#ixzz13i1gRJNz

[littlewolf]

10. If he was going to do it ... he should have done it before early

voting started .... NOW he is truly committed .....

[Divine Discontent]

11. very valid point. I thought when they saw he had less than half of the support Rubio did, that he

would do it knowing Crist would probably win. I understand pride has a lot to do with these decisions, and all the efforts of your team, but yikes, RUBIO in the senate is so disturbing... hoping it doesn't happen.

[Divine Discontent]

8. yay... great... not. He should drop out. I don't want a teabag fascist as my senator & Meek never

had a chance once Crist said he was running because of being teabagged in the primary! Meek is now down to 1 in 6 voters, and Crist tried to get the Big Dog to get him to drop out, apparently, but Meek's wife insists Meek can win, so he believes that nonsense....

[Canuckistanian]

12. So, is Clinton a Movement liberal or an Action liberal?

I forget now.

[ChiciB1]

13. I DON'T Think That Is THE Question! As One WHO IS A Liberal Never

thought Clinton was a liberal. Even back when he was President, I knew he was to the right of me, but Clinton & Obama are quite different. Clinton's charisma is what has made him so very popular even to this day. That he would even consider approaching Meek about this pretty much says it all to so many of us.

If you have read my post above perhaps you might understand why. Florida is yet again at a precarious crossroad and living here with the thought of "a Rubio" is almost too much to take. Given the election in 2000 and that debacle, surely even you can understand how betrayed we feel. Many of us still believe to this day that we got taken by THE BUSHIES and their "good pals" on The Supreme Court. Whether it was Gore not fighting back enough or not, we would have LOVED to seen a candidate that could have gone up against Crist & Rubio.

But Meek is and was not the candidate that was strong enough. Blame who you want, but I for one will not take blame for what this state Democratic Party, led by Karen Thurman has forced upon us. I wonder if any of them will ever learn!

[Canuckistanian]

14. OK, OK, I was just asking

So, you're anti-Meek? So noted.