Bill Clinton Nearly Convinced Kendrick Meek to Drop Senate Bid

[onehandle]

Source: CBS

Bill Clinton twice persuaded Florida Democrat Kendrick Meek to drop his Senate bid in an effort - but Meek ultimately changed his mind and elected to stay in the race, according to a report in Politico.

Had Meek withdrawn and backed Charlie Crist, it would have been a major boon to the Republican-turned-independent, who is trailing Republican Marco Rubio in the Senate race. Crist dropped out of the GOP primary amid sings he would lose to Rubio, and speculation in Washington is that the moderate Florida governor would caucus with Democrats if elected.

Meek, who is in third place in the polls, reportedly twice agreed to drop out but decided not to thanks in part to his wife's belief he could still win the race. Politico reports an endorsement rally had even been planned for October 26th.

"The argument was: 'You can be a hero here. You can stop him, you can change this race in one swoop," one Democrat told Politico. Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed to the outlet the former president's involvement in discussions, though not the details.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021117-503544.html

---

Senator Marco Rubio will run for President in 2016. Bet on it.

[BeyondGeography]

1. It was worth a shot

Nice try, Bill.

[Towlie]

9. Nice try Bill, and nice try Towlie, but my DU thread got locked for my troubles.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9292106

[Wabbajack_]

13. It was worth a shot?

To have no Democrats running for the Senate in Florida? CRIST is a fucking Republican asshole who will vote for Republican control if his vote counts. Not to mention a closeted homophobe.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

2. Why didn't Bill convince Crist to drop out?

Statistically speaking, it's the third party candidate who is least likely to win.

And no Senator is going to be elected President in 2016. Or any other time in the near future. It will be another 40 years before that happens again.

[onehandle]

5. Yes. Let's count on that. nt

[No Elephants]

55. No. Let "us" count on a Republican. Yeah, that's the ticket--literally.

That's the sure way for Democrats to win.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Because the third party candidate usually isn't the former Gov.

Teabaggers must be stopped at all costs.

[24601]

14. He's our current Gov, not former. n/t

[JI7]

8. because Meek is in 3rd place and losing by more than Crist in a two way race

[sabrina 1]

12. Crist is only getting as much support as he has because, unbelievably

the Democrats have encouraged Democrats to vote for him. If all the Dems who crossed over to Crist had stayed with the Democrat and let the two Republicans fight it out, Meek could have won. Great strategy once again! Maybe those Crist Dems will wake up and realize they were wrongly advised before it's too late.

[JI7]

30. no, it's because of the independents and moderates that Crist leads

those voters would go to Rubio over MEek.

[wmbrew0206]

48. Oh Lord, not this again.

Sorry but Meek was never going to win. Only three Democrats have ever been elected to the one of the Big 3 spots in Florida (Senate seats and Governor). All of them were Blue Dog Democrats who were pretty conservative on a lot of issues. They were also all white and not from South Florida.

Meek is a good candidate and will probably go on to do some great things, but he was the sacrificial lamb picked by the Democrats establishment to run and lose against Crist (back when he was the clear cut republican front runner) but still turn out the African American votes for Alex Sink to be Governor and ensure that Florida was in Democratic hands come 2012.

[No Elephants]

56. So, no African American should bother running in Florida? Good thing Obama did not know that.

And thanks for the insight about the Democrats' cynical use of race, and of Meek as an individual.


Btw, Rubio is not "white." So, I guess some are stuck on:

If you're white, all right!
If you're brown, you kin hang aroun'.
But, if you're black, stand back!

[wmbrew0206]

77. Do you live in Florida?

It is not that Meek is African American. It is that he is a progressive, African American from Miami. Those three are not a good combination to run statewide in Florida.

[No Elephants]

53. +1

[wmbrew0206]

47. Because Obama didn't want to give Crist a cabinet post. That is probably what it would take for

Crist to drop out.

[No Elephants]

54. Rethugs have been talking impeachment over Obama's offer to Sestak.

And I'm not sure Crist would drop out for a lower profile Cabinet position anyway. I think his ultimate goal is POTUS or VP and, failing that, Senator for Life.

[wmbrew0206]

81. Crist knows he can't drop out of this race and be a viable candidate for a major office again.

He would need an equivalent level post in the Cabinet that could be a stepping stone for other future offices.

FYI, I doubt the rethugs will try and impeach Obama over the Sestak thing. It will take way too long to investigate and by the time they get all the info they would need, it will be Nov 2012. They will investigate, try and embarrass and damage him, and then move on to other issues. I think the rethugs know how unpopular impeaching Clinton was and won't repeat that mistake before an election. They will try and find enough things to investigate where they can call Obama corrupt on the campaign trail.

[Towlie]

3. And Crist is starting to catch up. Clinton was right, I was right, and DU was wrong.

But nobody would listen to me.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9292106

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9395547

[sabrina 1]

15. No you weren't right, and neither was Clinton.

At least half of Crist's support is coming from Democrats. If Clinton and the DLC leadership fo the party had backed the Democrat, all those votes would have gone to Meek and the Republican vote would have split. But by NOT supporting the Democrat, the Party handed the race to Rubio.

The Democratic Party brilliant chess players that they are, split the Democratic Vote, instead of the Republican vote.

Sometimes I wonder, are they just plain stupid, or do they want a Moderate Republican party with no progressives at all?

[bahrbearian]

19. +1

[karynnj]

29. In fairness, Clinton has campaigned a few times for Meek

More than any other major Democrat - he was grateful for his support of HRC.

[No Elephants]

58. Starting when?

[karynnj]

82. I've read of at least 3 Clinton rallies for him

Here are links to them:

(These were announced on Oct 8 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=470143 )
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/bill-clinton-campaigns-with-meek-in-st-pete-979653.html

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/clinton-in-orlando-appeal-for-meek-says-conservatives-983263.html

and in the primaries - this from mid August:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/bill-clinton-endorses-meek-in-delray-greene-retorts-862801.html

You know I am not a Clinton fan. I was actually surprised to read the early October announcement of the two rallies set for the en of the month. My thought then, was that if Clinton and others hope that Crist would beat Rubio, they would use "benign neglect" not showing support for Meek.

[JI7]

33. Clinton has campaigned for Meek Multiple Times

[sabrina 1]

46. That's good to know. Thanks for the info n/t

[No Elephants]

59. Starting when?

[Jazzgirl]

79. Not only that, Meek was on the Tom Joyner radio show this morning.

He explicitly said Clinton DID NOT ask him to drop out. Clinton said he had heard rumors Meek was considering dropping out and asked if it was true. Meek said Clinton did not try to get him to drop out of the race and said he was glad to hear Meek was staying in.

I am so tired of reading this bullshit.

[sufrommich]

35. Clinton campaigned for Meek, so did Tim Kaine. nt

[No Elephants]

60. Starting when?

[Iowa]

39. Well said. Two thumbs up for sabrina...

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Sancho]

74. I don't know if you live here..but Meek can't win outside of Miami

Meek has never had a winning poll or shot at the I-4 corridor or panhandle. He gets a little support in Jacksonville from the minority vote. Crist has been getting the Independent vote for several years in the populous middle. That may be his biggest support when he won as Governor. He is not a pure Democrat, that's true. On the other hand, he's a lot better than Rubio who is crazy.

If the Democrats had run better candidates for Governor (Castor or Grayson?); or if the Democrats had run better candidates for Senate - then they may have had a chance. Crist saw the weakness of Meek (who could not win) and Rubio (extremist and young), so he jumped into the race. Actually, it was pretty astute for a career politician.

Crist also saw a chance to get teachers (by vetoing SB6) and came out against drilling and agreed to support partner adoptions (even though it was a court order anyway); so he got the independents in droves who think Rubio is nuts. Those same independents are unfortunately racists in some cases, anti-Miami in some cases, and don't trust Meeks.

This OP is pretty correct. The only choice right now is Rubio or Crist. If Meeks drops out it would help Crist, but also result in some minority staying away from the polls (which hurts Sink).

[Iowa]

38. Nonsense....

You are wrong and Clinton is wrong. You're supporting one of two Republicans, and calling for the Democrat to step down. And your rationale is weak. Very weak.

[wmbrew0206]

49. Please. There are/were a lot of Floridian on these boards saying that Crist was the only one

with a chance against Rubio.

The only people who didn't seem to get that were people NOT from Florida.

[No Elephants]

61. Why was that? And why were those cardinal DU rule-breaking posts not deleted?

When did the DNC first seem to really get behind Meek?

[wmbrew0206]

76. Because everyone knew that this is how the race would end up.

Meek was the sacrificial lamb picked to get African Americans to turn out. The DNC never really got behind Meek. As soon as Crist went I, national Dems started to back him.

And the mods on DU have stated that these Crist over Meek discussion would be allowed.

[No Elephants]

57. Right about what? That the only hope for DLC is backing rethugs?

Yeayyyyyy! We won! We got Republicans elected!!1111!!!

Talk about pyrrhic "victories."

[Bozita]

4. Crist is gonna be on with KO tonight - Part of a continuing effort?

[No Elephants]

63. Next up: "The Colbert bump." Colbert endorsed O'Donnell's REPUBLICAN

opponent in the Delaware primary, and at least one other Republican from his (Colbert's) home state in a race against a Dem, both as himself and as his "Republicon" character. He also shot that zinger at Kuch. Makes you wonder about the "professional left."

I prefer Jon Stewart. Just sayin'.

[musiclawyer]

7. Rubio is ultra dangerous

He can take latino votes. Look I am latino and was screaming bloody murder when Alberto was nominated for AG. Lots of latinos simnply wanted to give him a pass. Without mega instruction to counter the disinformation the latino comunity will be inclined to support one of their own--whether it's in 6 years or 10 years. This dude is a fucking wolf in sheep's cloths. We have to rip off the costume now.

[sabrina 1]

10. Why didn't he try to get Crist to drop out?

Meek is a progressive. I guess that's the reason he was asked to drop out and got no help from the party.

How many people are only voting for Crist because the Democratic Party leadershop has encouraged them to do so?

And it looks like Rubio is going to win anhow. Great strategy, NOT encouraging Democrats to vote for the Democrat!

I hope people who are only going with Crist because of the Party's advice, wake up before it's too late. This party will always support the more right-leaning choice, even IF it's a Republican, and Crist IS a Republican at heart. He did one good thing that I'm aware of but he's still a Republican.

So they screw up another chance to get another progressive elected.

[Dr.Phool]

18. Most of the state party was quietly behind Crist from the get go.

I talked to several state officers who were doing just that, but because of their loyalty oaths, couldn't do it publicly.

And Meek is a "New Democrat".

I guess his refusal to endorse other Democrats two years ago is coming back to haunt him. Him and Weaselman-Schlitz wouldn't endorse Democrats who were running against the Diaz-Ballart brothers and Ros-Lehntenin because they were their friends.

[sabrina 1]

21. I've only seen Meek a few times on television.

He seemed to me to be pretty progressive on the issues. Crist is a Republican who did one nice thing for teachers but is still a Republican who basically got kicked out of the party for not marching in lockstep on the teacher issue.

I do not know anything about the situation you just mentioned. So I'm going by what I have seen from the candidates in this race.

Gibbs, eg, trashed Dean in the 2004 election, but look where he is now. So, those kinds of internal disputes don't always work the way it may have for Meek, if you are correct. He was the only Dem in the race, and the party should have backed him and not allowed personal conflicts to interfere with making sure we do not lose the house. Of course, Crist probably promised to caucus with them if he wins. But where will Crist be on the major issues that concern progressive democrats? I think they are trying to get rid of the progressive wing of the party and a moderate Republican is always preferrable to them than a progressive Democrat.

I hope people there who are backing Crist because of party pressure, and lack of support for the Dem, wake up and speak for themselves.

[Towlie]

43. We've ALL seen Meek only a few times on television. That's one reason he never stood a chance.

[bc3000]

44. You're wrong, but keep acting authoritative about someone you've "seen on TV a few times"

Here's how ex-State Trooper Kendrick Meek's campaign went: started with a big splash with a NASCAR sponsorship to try and get the redneck vote. Then he decided to publicly criticize Obama on Israel to kiss butt for the Jewish vote.

He's not a progressive. He's a "New Democrat" who is much closer to being a blue dog than a liberal progressive. He constructed a campaign based on wooing people who would never vote for him and ignoring liberal democrats who might. He never had a shot in hell of winning the race even when Crist became an independent and threatened to split the republican vote.

I'm really sick of people from out of state who know nothing about the candidates telling those of us who live here and follow the races that we are wrong. To put it bluntly, you don't know what you are talking about. Meek had the other party split and the current republican governor run as an independent. That should have been a huge boon to his campaign and yet he still couldn't do much better than a distant third.

Maybe, just maybe, people who know nothing about the race should consider the possibility that it's the candidate and not the voters that are the problem.

[sabrina 1]

52. I think you misunderstood me, or maybe I wasn't clear.

I've only seen him a few times on TV means that he was not getting the attention other candidates get.

As for people not from your state commenting on the race? Every member of the Senate will affect all of us. And people absolutely have a right to try to get the best representation for this country. That is why people from across the country are phone-banking for candidates like Grayson and Feingold.

Meek eg, is excellent on SS which is an issue that is going to come up AFTER the election and I have a bad feeling about what they intend to do about it. That issue affects every single citizen in the country, and I would like to have someone like Meek in the Senate rather Crist when those crucial decisions are being made, whether he is from my state or not.

I assume you have never commented on a candidate outside of your own state then?

[wmbrew0206]

50. "Seem to be pretty progressive on the issues." - That is part of why he could not win.

There are a lot of progressive areas of Florida. However, there are not enough that a progressive democrat could win statewide against a rethug or a conservative democrat. To make it worse, Meek is African American and is from South Florida. Most of the white democrats north of the I-4 corridor would probably vote for a rethug over a "Black man from Mi-hami" or they would just stay home.

There are not any turnout models that show how Meek could win, even if Crist dropped out.

[Sancho]

75. You are exactly correct - Meek could not win

much of the state would never vote for a minority...

[wmbrew0206]

78. Disagree. Floridians could elect a minority but they would have to have the right

combination. Meek is a progressive, African American from Miami. That is not a good combination to win a statewide election in a state that has only elected three Democrats to be either Senators or Governor.

[No Elephants]

62. Yep.

[No Elephants]

64. He is a member of the ND Coalition, but maybe "in name only."

Reading about his behavior and his votes in his wiki, I see a classic Democrat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendrick_Meek


See also http://www.ontheissues.org/FL/Kendrick_Meek.htm

[DonCoquixote]

11. We will see this again

The "independent" is just being marketed to people that want to say they are not GOP, but really have their hearts with them. It's kind of like the way many respectable Germans so hated the brown shirts, but knew that were necessary for power. never fear mein leiben, soon Schutzstaffel Rove will come in.

And Crist would gladly be a patsy for an "independent" run in 2012 as president, knowing all he has to do is get the people in Florida who are angry about Hillary, the one that insist they are not at all racist. (sarcasm flag on). All he has to do is split the democratic vote, make Obama lose, and then collect a nice big fat paycheck from the GOP.

[AmBlue]

26. More than that...

Crist supported voter verifiable paper ballots at the behest of citizen outcry and also he would not pursue the anti-choice path our strongly R legislature was trying to shove down our throats. It outraged those that believe all Rs must march in lockstep. There have been other issues that Crist refused to tote water for. It's actually been very refreshing to watch: a Republican that listens to voters and can think for himself.

[No Elephants]

67. Just what the Democratic Party needs most--refreshing Republicans, like Crist & Chafee.

[aquart]

28. I didn't quite understand what you said.

Hillary supporters were racists? Is that what you said? Or they are racists?

[DonCoquixote]

31. Not all

But there were many racists who claimed to support Clinton, and sadly, there was not much effort by the Florida Clinton campaign to tell them off. If you were not down here in Florida, you would not have seen it, and consider yourself blessed. Sadly, many of those Florida Pumas are for Crist.

[No Elephants]

68. Some undoubtedly were. So were some of Obama's. And McCain's.

Btw: (a) the poster said zero about Hillary OR her supporters; (b) When Hillary said her base was "hard working white people," what do you think she was saying and to whom/what do you think she was trying to appeal; and (c) how long will some of Hillary's primary supporters remain stuck in 2007?

[No Elephants]

65. We sure will.

Obama withheld his endorsement from the R.I. Democratic gubernatorial candidate "out of respect for the Republican candidate." Granted, the Republican candidate may be more liberal than the Democratic candidate and Obama combined, but that was obviously not the reason Obama walked away from the Democratic candidate.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. But isn't it too late for him to drop out? Even if he did, the ballots are printed...n/t

[DonCoquixote]

17. why am I not surprised

This is the same advice he would have given to an African-American senator from Illinois, no doubt.

Bill, if you want any legacy at all, shut the hell up. Day by Day, we realize how much of a Republican you really were.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wmbrew0206]

51. You don't think Clinton already had the approval from the White House?

[No Elephants]

66. On whose behalf do you think Clinton asked Meek to drop out?

[mdmc]

20. Big Dog always tryin to get corporatist into power

[xultar]

22. Don't you mean Obama. You know fucking well that he did it because he was asked by the WH.

[JI7]

32. no, this is typical of Clinton although i don't have a problem with it

[No Elephants]

70. Oh please, Louise. Clinton, like Robert Kennedy Jr., is a Party man, through and through.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9320140

So is the DNC a Party entity through and through; and the DNC which decided early on that wise allocation of its limited resourced meant nothing for Meek, no $, no Party stars, nada--until rank and file Dems raised a hue and cry.


And the current head of the Democratic Party is President Barack Obama. Obama is not supporting the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in RI, either. So much for the theory that this is more like Bubba than Barack (or, more likely, like Axelrod and his cohorts.)

Few with any remaining brain cells will buy attempts to Pontius Obama on this one. Even the WH is not trying very hard for that. See Reply # 42.

[flamingdem]

23. This is probably BS nt

[No Elephants]

71. Yep. 100% factually accurate, but it is bullshit nonetheless. Often, the two are mutually exclusive,

but two center right Democrats, working together, can make even oxymorons a reality.

[xultar]

25. I knew ignorance would enter this thread I'm just surprised it took so long..

[davidinalameda]

27. why are you surprised at anything that goes on here

you've been on here just as long as I have and it is DEFINITELY same shit different day

you want a cocktail?

:toast:

[Bozita]

34. TPM says Meek has called a presser for 9:30pm TONIGHT

[Dr.Phool]

36. Holy Shit!

Say goodnight Kendrick.

[Judi Lynn]

37. Thanks for the heads-up. n/t

[Dappleganger]

41. Watch the democratic party in FL implode.

[No Elephants]

72. Why implode when morphing into DINOs seems so danged easy?

Behold the future two Party system.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

84. Seriously, how many REAL Democrats are there in Florida anyway?

Alan Grayson. Robert Wexler used to be, but he moved on to other things. Who else?

[2Design]

40. that sucks - meek is the democrat - I will vote for meek no matter what n/

[dgibby]

42. FWIW,

CNN's talking heads on the John King show tonight are reporting that Clinton and Meek are friends, that Clinton tried to talk him into withdrawing, and that the WH was aware of the negotiations.

[No Elephants]

69. "the WH was aware of the negotiations" NSS. Btw: who do you think wanted

America to know that the WH asked Big Dog to do this? Sounds like agreed language to me, but I;m guessing Bill did not want to take the rap for this all by his lonesome.

[dgibby]

83. I didn't say the WH asked him to do it,

and neither did they. They said exactly what I posted, that the WH was aware of the situation.

I'm not making a value judgement, just giving info from a different source. :shrug:

[Gman]

45. Worth a try. Too bad he's still in it.

[No Elephants]

73. This sooooo confirms my decision not to donate to the DNC, only to individuals,at

least while the center right controls the DNC.

This Florida Senatorial race and Connecticut gubernatorial race have been very instructive. As Kermit opined, "It ain't easy being green." But being green may be a piece of cake compared to being a left of center right Democrat.

I like money just fine and, as a workaholic, did fine. I never begrudged anyoe his or her wealth--or for the name "Republican." Hell, Lincoln was a Republican. So was MLK, Sr., until JFK called Coretta King and offered his help in getting her husband out of jail.

No, I hated callousness, selfishness, thuggery and bigotry, be it against any ole non-WASP, or women, gays, poor people or decent non-conformists. And violence oppression and imperialism. Always will. And those things are now either touted openly or dog whistled by today's Republicon Party, including Crist, until the Florida Republicons gave this opportunist his walking papers.

Live by sword; die by the sword.

[Roland99]

80. Meek started way too late. Latest Quinnipiac has Rubio 45, Crist 37, Meek 15

I might be off a point or two between Rubio/Crist (heard it on the radio on the way in)

[sabrina 1]

85. Meek has denied talking to Clinton about dropping out.

He held a press conference last night to make that clear. See here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9411447

[PRYORcommitment]

86. President Clinton

President WJC is one of the best political minds in the history of our country.

[ProudDad]

88. Yep!

Best republican money could buy at the time...

[yurbud]

87. whose trying to convince Crist to drop out?