President Obama’s Friday night Ramadan dinner declaration of support for the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero had Florida’s leading statewide candidates issuing a variety of reactions today.

In the midst of it all came a Panhandle clarification by Obama, who said he wasn’t commenting on the “wisdom” of putting an Islamic center blocks away from the site where Islamists killed more than 2,700 people on Sept. 11, 2001.

See what candidates for Senator and governor have to say about the mosque and the president’s position after the jump….

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President Barack Obama sought to clarify his support for a controversial mosque planned to be built three blocks from the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“In this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion. I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That’s what our country is about,” Obama, in Panama City Beach for an overnight family vacation, told reporters this afternoon. “And I think it’s very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about.”

Obama drew fire last night for remarks he made at the White House Ramadan dinner where he said he supported the building of the mosque, which New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also approves.

Prior to meeting with Obama this morning, Gov. Charlie Crist said he agrees with Obama.

“I think he’s right. I mean, you know we’re a country that in my view stands for freedom of religion and respect for others. I know there are sensitivities and I understand them,” Crist, who abandoned the Republican Party late this spring to run as an independent in the race for U.S. Senate.

“This is a place where you’re supposed to be able to practice your religion without the government telling you you can’t,” Crist said.

UPDATE: Kendrick Meek’s statement: “Our nation was founded on the pillar of religious freedom and construction of the mosque should not be denied on religious grounds, but this is ultimately a decision for the local community in New York City to make.”

Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene today said President Obama is wrong to support construction of a mosque near the spot where Islamic jihadists killed more than 2,000 people by crashing planes into the World Trade Center.

Greene’s statement:

“President Obama has this all wrong and I strongly oppose his support for building a mosque near Ground Zero especially since Islamic terrorists have bragged and celebrated destroying the Twin Towers and killing nearly 3,000 Americans.

“Freedom of religion might provide the right to build the mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero, but common sense and respect for those who lost their lives and loved ones gives sensible reason to build the mosque someplace else.

“President Obama had the chance to show leadership by calling on the mosque’s supporters to find a more appropriate location.”

Gov. Charlie Crist praised President Barack Obama for bringing the First Family to Florida’s Gulf Coast for a brief vacation.

“It’s the biggest single commercial you could imagine. God bless him,” Crist said before meeting with Obama, his wife Michelle and a handful of Panama City business owners at a waterfront Coast Guard station.

Republicans have blasted Obama for what they called a “27-hour guilt trip” to the region where the economy suffered as tourism plummeted during BP’s massive oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Crist brushed off the criticism.

“On behalf of Florida and as Florida’s sitting governor, I couldn’t be more grateful that the president and the First Lady of the United States are taking the time to come to our Gulf Coast and highlight Florida and promote tourism and jobs for our people. There’s no other way to look at this,” he said.

Crist broke with the Republican Party earlier this year to run as an independent in the U.S. Senate race after polling showed he was trailing in a potential primary against former House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Crist, who gained notoriety for the now infamous hug with Obama, sidestepped questions about whether Saturday’s visit with Obama would help Crist’s effort to draw support from Democrats to his campaign.

“I don’t know. I have no idea. But I think what’s important is that I’ll stand with anybody who’s going to help promote Florida tourism and our economy. It would be ridiculous not to,” Crist said. “I’m very, very grateful that the President and the First Lady…put such a spotlight on Florida tourism.”

Escambia County Republican Chairwoman Susan Moore was joined on Friday by 32 other county chairmen and state party committeemen and women — generally referred to as the grassroots of the party — in a letter demanding GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott release a sealed deposition he gave as part of a settled lawsuit against Solantic, his chain of health care clinics.

“As a leading Republican candidate for governor, you should not ignore our demand for you to be open and transparent regarding your involvement in the case,” according to the letter, which includes many supporters of the other GOP candidate in the race, Attorney General Bill McCollum

“This election means a great deal to Florida Republicans, and the charges against you appear quite serious. Nominating a Republican candidate without full transparency will mean doom for our party if you win the primary and there are lingering doubts or as yet unrevealed charges.”

The letter does not include Sarasota County Republican Chairman Joe Gruters, who warned his colleagues a few hours later that their gambit was no different than the complaints many of them made months ago. At that time, Republicans lambasted state party Chairman Jim Greer for attempting to clear the primary field for candidates like Charlie Crist and Bill McCollum.

“Reflecting on last year’s example, we must ensure that our Republican Party organizations not take sides and stay out what has turned into a very divisive campaign for Governor,” Gruters wrote.

“No one office or candidate should be above our Republican organization, thus we must not allow ourselves to risk alienating our members (both current and potential) by using our organization to promote one candidate’s agenda over another. I believe that an action like the one being proposed does just that and further promotes divisiveness within the party. I ask that you reconsider.”

As the GOP primary race turns from an air attack with TV ads into a battle to turnout voters, many see McCollum with a distinct advantage over Scott. After three decades in office, McCollum has cultivated a loyalty among the grassroots Republicans (like the signatories above) who are skilled at pushing their voters to the polls.

And while Scott is enjoying his status as a political outsider in this year of anti-incumbency, it also means he’s had just the past few months to build much of the volunteer effort he’ll need on Aug. 24.

“I don’t think he has the reach that we do by any stretch,” McCollum said. “The regular Republicans, the women’s clubs, the precinct committeemen and women, those who are the activists that go out and make the telephone calls, talk to their friends and neighbors and do the e-mailing, they’re all principally behind me.

“They have a few, but I’ve got most of them out there working everyday.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the latest big-name Dem to vouch for establishment favorite Kendrick Meek in his Aug. 24 Democratic Senate primary against Palm Beach investor Jeff Greene.

The Meek camp is touting this robocall recorded by Pelosi on Meek’s behalf. Meek will campaign with former President Bill Clinton in Delray Beach, Davie and Miami on Monday. And Meek will be “joining” President Obama in some capacity Wednesday when Obama comes to Miami for a fund-raiser.

Former Democratic state Rep. Irv Slosberg has dropped his efforts to get educator Sheldon “Klassy” Klasfeld tossed from the Aug. 24 Democratic primary ballot in their state House District 90 race.

Slosberg claimed paperwork errors by Klasfeld disqualified him. He filed a lawsuit against Klasfeld, but today filed a voluntary dismissal in Leon County Circuit Court.

Klasfeld, already an underdog, accused wealthy former House member Slosberg of “bullying” him.

Klasfeld said the legal filings and depositions brought about by Slosberg’s action hindered his campaign, raised his blood pressure and cost him about $20,000.

Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene, the billionaire Palm Beach outsider seeking to paint primary rival Kendrick Meek as an out-of-touch Washington insider, is highlighting previously published reports that Meek uses a portion of his annual House member’s allowance to pay for a $977-a-month lease on a GMC Yukon “flexible fuel” vehicle for official use.

“As more than one million Floridians go without work, Kendrick Meek drives around in a $977 per month leased car and has voted to give himself thousands of dollars in pay increases,” a Greene campaign statement says.

House members get annual allowances of about $1.3 million apiece to pay staff salaries and travel costs and purchase office supplies and equipment. The Wall Street Journal last year — in an article that noted local Democratic U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings’ $24,730-a-year lease on a Lexus hybrid sedan — said about 100 members of Congress use their allowances to lease vehicles for official use.

Meek spokesman Adam Sharon said Meek’s personal cars are in Washington, so he leases a vehicle for business in his district. The lease is so expensive, Sharon said, because members serve two-year terms and therefore must enter two-year leases under House rules. The rules also forbid using the allowance to make a downpayment, Sharon said, which also raises the monthly cost.

Sharon said Meek doesn’t use his Yukon for personal or political business.

“A member of Congress needs a car to get around to perform their job and do constituent services and represent the district,” Sharon said.

If Bill McCollum can start each day of his bus tour like this, it’s going to be a good road trip for the Republican gubernatorial candidate.

For the second time in as many days, a poll is showing McCollum over GOP primary rival Rick Scott.

The survey today is from the Tarrance Group, paid for by the Florida Medical Association. They phoned 900 likely Republicans from Aug. 10-12 and claim a margin of error of 3.3 percent. 

Scott’s campaign dismissed the poll, noting that the FMA has endorsed McCollum.

“When McCollum’s surrogate groups release polls showing your campaign in a statistical tie, you know you are in trouble,” Scott spokesman Joe Kildea said.

McCollum, meanwhile, is starting the second of his four-day bus tour. He has three events in Jacksonville (after five in the same area Thursday) before stops in Daytona Beach and Cocoa.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson was on a cruise last week when Jeff Koons became the fourth commissioner in four years to plead guilty to a felony charge.

His reaction? Outrage.

“I leave this damn city for one week and all hell breaks loose,” Aaronson said at Thursday’s Tourist Development Council meeting. “In my opinion, there was nothing to clean up.”

Read more here.

The Federal Election Commission reports are in for the July 1-Aug. 4 money dash and Republican challenger Allen West’s $530,806 in receipts topped incumbent Democratic Rep. Ron Klein’s $142,704.

Klein spokeswoman Sarah Rothschild noted that Klein holds a “significant” advantage in cash on hand: $2.84 million to $2.25 million. But Klein’s overall money edge is getting less significant with each reporting period. Last October, Klein had nearly $2.2 million in the bank to West’s $247,416.

West continues to spend heavily. He disbursed $462,717 during the last five-week period, much of it on a direct-mail campaign.

Another interesting West number: more than half of his latest receipts — $298,969 — came from contributors giving less than $200. Those are prime prospects for West to hit up again over the next two months. Klein got $6,519 from the under-$200 crowd.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum tossed out the first pitch tonight for the Jacksonville Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins.

No, that’s not his primary opponent, Rick Scott, behind the plate. It’s Suns outfielder Lorenzo Scott.

No relation, just a coincidence that ends up being one of those priceless moments on the campaign trail.

(For the record, McCollum, a serious baseball fan, received a decent little cheer from the sparse crowd. His pitch was low and outside, but he did get it over the plate – a victory for any politician who takes the mound.)

Kendrick Meek’s campaign this afternoon said its internal polling shows the Miami congressman with an 8-point lead over Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene in the Democratic Senate primary.

A late July Quinnipiac poll showed Greene with a 10-point lead, while a Mason-Dixon poll last week gave a 4-point edge to Meek.

Read Meek pollster Diane Feldman’s memo after the jump….

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Kendrick Meek, in the final two weeks of a tough Democratic primary campaign for U.S. Senate, has reserved a room at the North County Senior Center in Palm Beach Gardens on Friday afternoon for “a non-campaign event” to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security.

The Post‘s eagle-eyed county government reporter Jennifer Sorentrue spotted an e-mail from Assistant Palm Beach County Administrator Jon Van Arnam to county commissioners this afternoon informing them of Meek’s planned use of the meeting room.

“A non-campaign event….sure,” responded Commissioner Steven Abams, one of two Republicans on the board.

Meek spokesman Adam Sharon, via e-mail, says that “no campaigning will take place within the complex – no campaign signs, no literature, no sign up or volunteer forms.  The event will simply focus on celebrating Social Security’s ‘birthday’ with SEIU.  Any political or campaign talk will happen I am sure, but off grounds.” 

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In a sign of how bitter the Republican gubernatorial primary has become, Bill McCollum said today that he would “withhold judgment” over whether to endorse Scott, if Scott won. Polls show the race is neck-and-neck.

“We’ve got an issue with character and trust with this man and I’m holding back judgment,” McCollum said.

Asked if the likely Democratic nominee Alex Sink had any “character and trust” issues, McCollum said, “Not to my knowledge.”

Sounds like Sink, by the way, is going up on TV before the Republican slug-fest is finished. A source said Sink could be on the air as soon as next Friday, but the Sink campaign wouldn’t confirm.”

“Our television ads will begin very soon, and Floridians will hear directly from Alex Sink about her positive commitment to strengthening Florida’s economy, creating jobs and holding politicians accountable,” Sink spokesman Kyra Jennings said.

Republican congressional candidate Allen West raised more than $532,000 from July 1 to Aug. 4, his campaign manager Josh Grodin said this afternoon. That five-week figure — more than Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein during the last three-month reporting period — should keep West among the top congressional money-raisers in the nation.

Because Florida has an Aug. 24 primary, the latest round of Federal Election Commission finance reports are due by midnight tonight. Klein hasn’t filed his report yet. Klein raised an impressive $511,150 from April 1 to June 30, but West raised $1.4 million during that quarter.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum kicked off a four-day bus tour this afternoon with an 19-minute speech in which he touched on tax cuts, illegal immigration, job creation and — oh yeah — that poll out this morning showing he’s ahead of his primary opponent, Rick Scott.

McCollum chose to end on the poll, waiting until the 18th minute to mention it.

“That’s the first time in a long time,” McCollum said of his lead in a speech to the Republican Women’s Club of Duval Federated.

Polls since May have shown Scott in the lead.

“And you can feel that surge and that momentum and it’s there for a reason,” he said. “Because people are now beginning to reflect, they’re beginning to look at the records of the two people involved, they’re beginning to peel the onion back and say, ‘Hey, we really don’t know who Rick Scott is. He says a lot of nice things, but we really don’t know who he is. But we know Bill McCollum and we know we need leadership in this state.’”

By Aaron Deslatte, Orlando Sentinel Tallahassee Bureau

Florida’s barroom brawl of a Republican gubernatorial race is turning voters off and helping Attorney General Bill McCollum overcome a once double-digit lead held by Naples millionaire Rick Scott, a new poll shows.

The Mason-Dixon survey commissioned by news organizations, including the Orlando Sentinel, found McCollum with a slight 34-percent to 30-percent edge over Scott, with 33 percent of GOP voters still undecided. But just a week ago, McCollum trailed Scott by 6 points – 31 percent to 37 percent — in a Mason-Dixon poll taken for Leadership Florida.

Read the full story here.

BOCA RATON — Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio, who spoke to a chamber of commerce group here this morning, said fixing Social Security needs to be part of any long-term deficit-reduction plan.

Rubio favors no changes in the system for people who are now 55 or older, but says “proposals that have to be talked about” include eventually raising the retirement age and changing the formula for determining yearly benefit increases. He accused Gov. Charlie Crist and both leading Democratic Senate candidates of refusing to confront the issue and predicted they’ll try to misrepresent his stance.

“I guarantee you right now that in this campaign, one or both of my opponents will run a commercial that says Marco Rubio wants to take away your Social Security,” Rubio told the group of about 25 Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce trustees.

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