PALM BEACH — Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek is “off the mark” when he says in his new TV ad that he’s the only candidate against privatizing Social Security and for abortion rights, Gov. and independent Senate candidate Charlie Crist said today.

Crist, who stopped by a Palm Beach County Hotel and Lodging Association lunch at The Breakers, also said he’s for extending all the Bush tax cuts and called plans by a Gainesville church to burn the Quran “deplorable.”

Crist and Meek are vying for many of the same Democratic votes in this year’s three-way Senate contest, which also includes Republican Marco Rubio.

Meek released an ad Tuesday in which he claims, among other things, that he’s “the only one against privatizing Social Security” and “the only one who’s pro-choice.”

“I think it’s off the mark,” Crist said of the ad.

“I’m not advocating privatizing Social Security,” Crist said.

Meek’s campaign says Crist, as a GOP Senate candidate against Democrat Bob Graham in 1998, indicated in a Stuart News questionnaire that he was open to “maybe” privatizing 1 or 2 percent of Social Security.

As for Meek’s abortion claim, Crist said, “I’m pro-life, that’s my personal position. But as you know I vetoed a bill this year that would have required an ultrasound that I think was too invasive and didn’t respect women in the way that they should be. So that kind of leaves choice to women.”

When he was a Republican seeking the GOP Senate nomination, Crist played up his “pro-life” stance, but qualified it by saying he would “rather change hearts” than change laws.

As a GOP candidate for governor in 2006, Crist told The Palm Beach Post: “I’m pro-life. And I believe in a culture that supports life. But I also obviously am very respectful of those who have a different point of view. And I’ve said publicly that I think it’s more important to change hearts than change the law and wouldn’t attempt to do so.”

The Meek campaign defended its characterization of Crist’s abortion stance by citing the NARAL Pro-Choice America website, which describes Crist as “anti-choice.”

Before speaking to about 100 people at today’s lunch, Crist was asked about the Bush tax cuts, which are set to expire Dec. 31. President Obama has called for ending the tax break for the wealthiest earners, pushing them into a 39.6 percent bracket instead of the current 35 percent top rate.

“I think we ought to extend the tax cuts to everybody,” Crist said. “I think it’s very important to reduce the tax burden on Florida families, on small businesses throughout the state, give them an opportunity to have of their more money in their pocket so they can hire more people and provide for more jobs.”

Crist declined to say whether he’d caucus with Republicans or Democrats if he’s elected to the Senate.

“What’s important is to listen to the people of Florida and understand that they’re my boss,” Crist said.

Asked whether he thinks the people of Florida are closer to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid or Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Crist said, “I think they’re between the two….I think what they really want is somebody who can be an honest broker and be able to take the good from Republcan ideas and Democratic ideas. I’m the only candidate that can provide that in this election.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 3:54 pm and is filed under 2010 campaigns, Charlie Crist, George Bennett, Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.