Meek to Burt: Don’t waste my time
by Jane Musgrave | October 12th, 2010Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek canceled tomorrow’s meeting with Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, saying it would be a waste of time because he believed the influential Democratic had already decided to endorse no-party candidate Gov. Charlie Crist in the U.S. Senate race.
The cancellation capped a day that started with news that a Palm Beach County political action committee had voted to ask Aaronson to urge Meek to get out of the race and continued with a largely incoherent telephone press conference that featured Democratic leaders insisting Meek wouldn’t pull out.
“I certainly understand his feelings,” Aaronson said of Meek’s decision not to meet with him alone or with a group he planned to put together.
A statement from Meek’s campaign showed the congressman was steamed by the entire chain of events.
“Unfortunately, it’s clear that this process is a charade and I don’t make it a habit to attend Charlie Crist campaign events,” his campaign said of the aborted Aaronson confab. “I’m going to spend my time talking to Democrats and undecided voters and not with those willing to stand with conservative Republicans.”
“I don’t need to attend an event with a small group of Crist supports trying to hijack the Democratic process,” the statement continued. “They have never been with my campaign.”
Unlike the suggestion by the People’s Choice PAC, Aaronson said he had no intention of asking Meek to leave the race. Instead, he said he wanted him to explain how he intended to beat GOP candidate Marco Rubio in the three-way race. Polls have consistently showed Meek a distant third.
Aaronson also insisted he had nothing to do with the decision by the People’s Choice of Palm Beach County PAC to call for Meek to leave the race and throw his support to Crist. The group, headed by Democrat Jay Weitz, voted Monday after Crist was in Delray Beach for a ground-breaking at an affordable housing project.
County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Alan Siegel dismissed the vote, saying most of the members of the PAC weren’t invited. “It was a rump vote,” he said.
Aaronson said he will hold a press conference Wednesday with unnamed officials to announce who he plans to endorse. “I just need some breathing time,” he said of the topsy-turvy day.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Stand your ground kenrick meek. The REAL Democrats are behind you! Aaronson can kiss Crist’s but but real democrats won’t.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
How honorably can you lose as a distant 3rd looser who will owe his last place only to party loyalists? Get off of your ego trip, it is not about you, it is about poor and middle class in Florida which face a very bleak future in a Florida totally control by right wing radical racist tea partiers. You hand the US Senate seat to Rubio and you hand the governor’s mansion to Scott/Carroll, kiss Sen. Nelson’s seat goodbye in 2012. and the State of Florida will not be won by Democrat for years to come and most likely hello president Rubio. Why allowing a political monster to get out of control forever if you have a chance to control it now. IT IS NOT TOO LATE; PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR COMMON SENSE, RALLY BEHIND CRIST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE.
DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE THEIR HEADS STUCK IN THE SAND WILL VOTE FOR MEEK BUT THOSE OF US WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR FLORIDIANS IF RUBIO IS ELECTED, WILL VOTE FOR CRIST.
Like Ms. Ellie Forte, I am a strong democrat but a realistic one who put Floridians before my party. I WILL VOTE FOR CRIST AGAINST RUBIO.
Had Crist, as Governor, not stood up against conservative Republicans for women’s rights, educators, etc. his party would have still tolerated his moderate stand on issues. They would have forgiven him for his executive order restoring the civil rights of nonviolent felons, for extending voting time so more people can vote for President Obama in 2008, for hugging Pres. Obama to Florida, for being Florida’s most bipartisan governor.
Ill-informed democrats are satisfied to repeat after either Rubio whose negative commercials paint Crist as too liberal or Meek’s which portray Crist as too conservative while Marco is laughing all the way to the US Senate. Do you own homework and discover the incredibly honest, kind, fair and committed public servant the Governor has been for all Floridians for the past 20 years. I will proudly vote for him and encourage all good democrats, republicans and republicans to vote for him. A VOTE FOR CRIST IS A VOTE FOR FLORIDA —- A VOTE FOR CRIST IS A VOTE AGAINST RUBIO.
BY REJECTING CRIST WHO HAS SUCH A GREAT RECORD OF BIPARTISANSHIP, DEMOCRATS ARE SENDING A VERY STRONG & LOUD MESSAGE THAT ALL POLITICIANS WHO DARE REACH ACCROSS THE AISLE COMMIT POLITICAL SUICIDE.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
CRIST IS NOT BIPARTISAN……
HE IS SELF CONCERNED AND A REPUBLICAN…..
DONT KID YOURSELF
October 12th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Boca Jew, what does Rep. Meek have to lose by standing his ground? Absolutely nothing. He has been dead last in all the poll since this 3 way race started. But Floridians have an awful lot to lose. Let’s count the ways Floridians would lose: Democrats’lack of courage to do the right thing by Floridians will cause democrats to stay home hence delivering the governor’s mansion to Scott/Carroll. With Rubio as the next US Senator it is a certainty that in 2012, right wing republicans will make sure that Le Mieux beat Sen. Nelson, that Florida go to the Republican Presidential Nominee.
Saving face vs the welfare of Floridians, you decide!
A true warrior never put him/herself before the people he/she serves. Is Meek a true warrior? if yes, he needs to do the right thing __ support Crist.
October 12th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
ycb: I will follow you anywhere. Keep speaking for the rational thimkers out here.
Give em hell Charlie!
October 12th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
First the Sierra Club now Aaronson pretty soon Meek will be running out of supporters.
It is to unite behind Crist.
October 12th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
It’s not about party it’s about people. I will not go over the cliff with the Democrats for party loyalty.
This Democrat is voting for Crist. A vote for Meek is flushing my vote down the toilet and in the end, a vote for Rubio.
Do the right thing for state and country Meek – DROP OUT! You can’t win!
October 12th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
I am an independent who will vote for Crist. Kendrick Meek is likable but with Crist in there, there is no way he will win.
Sorry Kendrick but I don’t want Rubio to win. If he wins, Public Education as we know it will soon be gone. I thank g-d that Crist had the guts to go against his party and veto SB6.
I don’t care if he flip flops, that’s a good thing. Didn’t you ever change your mind?
October 12th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
The train is leaving the station so we need to get on board now to stop Rubio. He is a dangerous right wing extremist.
Give em hell Charlie!
October 12th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
The democrats should be asking CRIST to get out of the race not Meek. Why did you all jerk Meek around all this time when you knew you were going to back the REAL CONSERVATIVE CHARLIE CRIST? Kiss pro choice good bye! You will all get screwed like Priscilla Taylor is trying to screw Riviera Beach.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Newsflash to everyone…. It really doesnt matter anyway because Marco Rubio is going to win by a wide margin. Charlie Crist just made it easier by being a selfish, self-serving turncoat. Rubio wins and so does Rick Scott….
October 12th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
ITS ALREADY OVER…… QUIT WHINING AND GET USED TO IT.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
The problem being that democrat jews only want their designated candidate to win.
What’s new with the south end of Palm Beach County. They think they OWN the ENTIRE county.
What has happened to Kendrick Meek throughout the primary and now the November election is disgusting.
Meek’s is not a coward, the south county democrats need to be voted out of any office. They will never cede their decisions to support anyone but ‘their’ candidate.
Other democrats need to tell these south county demons that if Meek isn’t supported don’t count on any support for any south end politicians seeking office. That includes Maria Sach and Joe Abruzzo who have endorsed Crist.
Stop letting south county dictate. Throw the bums out.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
If it’s already over why are you wasting time posting.
It’s Charlie time. Time for the responsible center to rise up united.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Independent voting for Rubio.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Our Space astronaut senator Bill Nelson couldn’t keep 26,000 workers from losing their jobs on the space coast.
Out with Nelson. The guy did NOTHING for the Space Coast! NOTHING!
October 12th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Problem with Crist you just don’t know which way he goes.
October 12th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Give em hell Charlie!
October 12th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Meek is a MAN, Charlie ain’t.
Go Kendrick!
October 12th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Meek def sticks to his principals…
Crist will bend which ever way he thinks he needs to…..
Rubio is the only one making sense….
October 13th, 2010 at 1:15 am
I am a former Obama paid staffer who was passed over for multiple campaign jobs statewide over the past 2 years. I was told I would be networked into finding a job on a campaign. OFA’s best staff will take heavy democratic losses in Florida and the nation. Just like with Obama, the promise of a job goes south, vote republican this fall..I feel betrayed..
October 13th, 2010 at 9:16 am
what is wrong with all u sheep? arguing over rubio, christ, and meek like they are the only choices. they are the experienced politicians who are responsible for everything wrong right now. we should be discussing the npa’s. the only message tallahassee and dc will understand is all incumbents voted out.
October 13th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Uncle Burt does not like blacks. He was pissed when Prissy Taylor, the incompetent nincompoop, was appointed to the commission. Meek is an idiot who should have stayed a police officer working in the ghetto.