Kendrick Meek Should Quit Now
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Congressman Kendrick Meek needs to quit the race for U. S. Senate now.
Not in a week or in a month.
Now. Immediately.
Meek can leave on a upswing having beat billionaire Jeff Greene in last week’s primary.
It is time to end Meek’s failed campaign, which has not caught on after more than a year.
Either Meek quits, or he will be responsible for handing the U. S. Senate seat over to the Tea Party’s favorite Marco Rubio.
Almost every vote he gets in November will be stolen from Gov. Charlie Crist’s independent campaign. Thus, every vote for Meek is a vote for Rubio.
Votes for Meek are wasted. Meek can’t win. No way. No how.
Meek has consistently trailed other candidates in this race by at least 10 percentage points.
Even the day after winning the primary when his popularity should be high, Meek was third in the race. Rassmussen’s poll done the day after the primary found Rubio had 40 percent, Crist 30 percent and Meek 21 percent.
Either Rubio or Crist is our next senator.
Guest Columnist Sam Fields predicted here months ago that Democrats like him will abandon Meek if they believe he can’t win. The liberal Fields is considering voting for Charlie Crist for one reason — to block Rubio.
It’s time the Ds start pressuring Meek to leave the field to Crist.
I won’t hold my breath. Too many Democrats so driven by their own partisanship that they can’t see what’s good for Florida and the nation.
Quit now, Kendrick.
Or go down in Florida history as the candidate who put Tea Party Marco in the U. S. Senate.
August 30th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
The Tea Party Ft Lauderdale, John Sykes and Gabriel Jose Carrera are intolerant, ignorant and many other bad things. It is scary to think that their poster child, Marco Rubio, may be our next Governor.
I don’t see Meeks resigning, but I do see Crist winning the race. Ironically, it will be because them good ole boys and girls in Northern Florida ain’t voting for no Cuban guy named Marco.
August 30th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
1) There is about as much chance of Meek quitting as there is of Rubio dropping out.
2) Rasmussen polls have a strong Republican bias (not that I disagee Meek is in third place, just that Rubio is not far in the lead, if he is in the lead at all).
FROM BUDDY: I agree that Meek won’t quit. But he should!
August 30th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
I may not be a Rubio fan, but as far as indicating to the State Democratic nominee voted by the wrestling fans as the Party nominee, Stone Cold says HELL NO, BULLSHIT!…..
Kendrick earned his victory, HE NEEDS TO RUN! AND until the votes are counted {(not by Katherine Harris!), he needs to fight and wrassle and kick some RUBIO ASS!
BUDDY, I am surprised at your trying to quell Democracy! I thought you were the LIBERAL PRESS!
August 30th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Meek should stay in the race, if anything to take votes AWAY from that criminal Rubio
August 30th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Buddy,
I cannot believe what I just read. Are you really asking Kendrick Meeks to drop his Senate bid because he might lose in this three way race against Crist and Rubio.
Should Rosa Parks have moved to the back of the bus, because standing her ground would not have made a difference in the Civil Rights movement?
Should the Florida Marlins have not shown up for the 1997 and 2003 World Series because the Marlins faced teams with a bigger bankroll and (supposedly)better talent?
Buddy, I believe that the basis of Freedom and Democracy begins with courage. The courage to stand your ground against tremendous adversity. Courage to face your foes despite the overwhelming odds. Give up?!? I think not!!!! Kendrick Meek should stand his ground!!!
For those of you who cast a ballot for Crist because you do not believe Meeks will win, SHAME ON YOU!!!!! You should be casting your ballot for the person who you feel will best represent you and your interest in the U.S. Senate.
BTW: Mr. Fields, although you feel strongly against Mr. Rubio, keep in mind: No U.S. Senator has single-handedly brought down the United States of America!!!
FROM BUDDY:
Shame on you for equating Rosa Parks with Kendrick Meeks!
Meeks wouldn’t even be riding in the bus. He would have been riding the same way he has in this campaign — on his mother’s coattails.
Meeks isn’t even the first African-American to run for U. S. Senate in recent times. That honor, I believe, goes to Alcee Hastings.
Hastings ran in 1970 in a five-candidate race for the U. S. Senate in a Democratic primary. Those were times it was really gutsy to run for statewide office as an African American. One of his Democratic opponents was Farris Bryant, who was a segregationist when he was governor Jan. 1961- Jan. 1965.
Hastings came in fourth. After a runoff, the Democratic nominee and eventual winner was Lawton Chiles.
August 30th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Amen! to that phat black chick change can always happen
August 30th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Sounds a bit racist. The duly elected candidate for the Democratic Party should quit so that a white “Independent” beat a Hispanic “Conservative”
Charlie Crist has flip-floped on so many issues it’s hard to know were he stands… Crist has also flip-flopped on education policy, offshore drilling, taxpayer-funding of abortion, Sonia Sotomayor–and he’s flip-flopped so many times on Obamacare it’s hard to tell what his current position is.
August 30th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
to “PHAT Black Chick”:
Hey, do you want to tag team with me!? We’d be awesome together, and deliver the Political 1-2-3 Pinned!
August 30th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Here’s what I think Buddy is trying to say:
Kendrick, not only will you hand the race to Rubio (and be remembered for that), but coming in third will also permanently end your career (if handing the race to Rubio doesn’t end it already).
Get out of this race on a high note for beating Greene, and then come back to fight again another day. Or stay in, come in third, and never be considered a serious contender for office again.
August 30th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
as I said before the only issue is control of the Senate. I can see no viable way that Kendrick meek will be there to vote on that issue.
The right to continue the race and the wisdom to continue the race are two different things.
August 30th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Buddy,
You attempt of quashing my dissent on “Kendrick Meek should Quit” by writing that I am such a dimwit by trying to equate Rosa Parks to Kendrick Meeks is your best response. I am trying to get thru your thick perspective that it takes courage to stand up for yourself. Courage is what Ms. Parks and Congressman Meeks have in commom, Buddy. Courage!!!!!!
FROM BUDDY: Let me make it clear. I am not quashing your dissent. I let anybody post comments if they aren’t obscene or libelous.
I disagree that it took courage for Meek to run for U. S. Senate.
It took courage for Rosa Parks to get on that bus. How much courage did it take Meek to get in his mommy’s Escalade?
August 30th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Maybe Sam Fields thinks Blacks should not be allowed to run for public office if it interferes with his a white candidate.
Maybe President Obama should have quit the race once Hillary one New Hampshire Primary ?????
August 30th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
This DEM is voting for CRIST, no matter what Meek does.
August 30th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
I agree with just my opinion & Meek’s future.
There is no way Meek can win this race, but I do not believe his votes will go to Rubio…they will instead go to Charlie Crist.
Particularly the redneck & Southern Baptist north will NEVER vote for a Spanish guy OR a black guy and they LOVE Charlie.
Buddy’s advice to Meek is sound. Get out now and live to fight another day.
Come in third and you’re all done.
August 30th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
First, I like Meek. I am not thrilled about Crist, and I don’t like Rubio. If it was Meek against whoever, I would vote for Meek. However, sometimes you have to take off your rose colored glasses and see the truth of what is about to happen for the better good.
If Meek could understand that it was in the best interest of Florida Democrats to support Crist, he would do it. I believe it unfortunately is. But it clearly would not be in Meeks best interest.
To some he would be a quitter and lose face. He personally would be better off losing and coming back another day. Quitting would prevent him to come back another day.
Therefore he will not bow out, with the result that every vote for Meek will be a vote for Rubio since most Republicans will support Rubio. Meek does not have it in him to recognize the truth or swallow his pride. It’s just politics.
Sad facts but true. You see politics is as much about ego (maybe more) as it is about power. Rarely is it about public policy strategy and the good of the cause.
Meek will come in 3rd and never admit he learned something the hard way. He will insist in fought the good fight, will continue fighting for us, and we will all suffer because of it with Senator Rubio for years.
Even the name sends a chill down my back.
August 30th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Buddy,
It takes a tremendous amount of courage for someone (anyone) to run for office. Any office. I have a deep respect for all the candidates in this Senate race.
To put yourself out there to be judged by all: A Courageous Act not many can do.
Your snide remark about Meeks getting in his mommy’s Escalade: OH SO TRIFLING AND SAD!!! What, would you prefer, Meeks getting out of a foreign luxury auto like Rubio (a BMW X5, I believe)?
A car is just a vehicle that will take you from point A to point B. How much you are willing to pay to own or lease a car, is your own problem.
BTW, I drive a Lincoln Navigator.
August 30th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Buddy seems to be taking the position that Kendrick Meek is some kind of a fraud because his mother was a successful politician.
OK, but what do we know about the “leg up” that the other candidates might have enjoyed from their families?
Seems that black candidates are too often held to a special standard.
August 30th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Crist has many enemies and is tainted. Over the next few months, Jeb his and supporters along with Kendrick and his will make sure that he comes in 3rd. Ironically, this has little to do with Marco. But it is the right decision. Marco and Kendrick also do have core beliefs, whether they are correct or not. It would be hard to make that case for Charlie.
August 30th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
If anyone is a spoiler who is electing the right-wing Rubio, it is Charlie Crist. At least Meek is consistent as a progressive legislator. By contrast Charlie is a vapid weather vane spinning in the wind … right one day, left another, centrist the next, then he repeats all over again … and this is on issue after issue. Crist is so lacking in core beliefs that nobody (D,R or other) can trust him on anything.
I’ll stick with Meek. At least I know I’m getting what I believe in.
August 30th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
This has nothing to do with race… it is all about preventing a right wing wacko tea party candidate from going to the United States Senate! Charlie Crist can do that, Meek cannot!
August 31st, 2010 at 4:37 am
i’m a dem, but i’ll vote for crist
August 31st, 2010 at 7:20 am
Why is it called the “Tea Party?” In reality, it is just republicans calling themselves by a different name, hoping we will forget how badly they have screwed us.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:33 am
Buddy,
What you just did was low! VERY LOW! As a regular reader on your blog who do not always respond, I think this move you just made concerning Kendrick Meek could have been kept to yourself. As a white girl from Colorado, I feel this statement could be taken as a YOUR (Buddy Nevins) hit against the black community! Get some class, Buddy!
August 31st, 2010 at 10:41 am
I find it hard to believe this misguided piece was written by the same Buddy Nevins who has observed the political world for all these years and should know better. We may disagree on a number of things Buddy, but I always had respect for your political astuteness. Considering how long you have been watching politics as closely as you have, it is surprising that you have failed to consider some critical points that give Kendrick Meek a clear path to victory in November.
First of all, it is quite likely that whichever candidate wins this race will do so with less than 40% of the vote. Tecnically, a candidate can win with 34% if the other two get 33% each. That is not an unrealistic possibility.
How could Kendrick Meek win a close race with no one getting more than 40%? Simple. He expands his base and gets them out to vote. As in just about any campaign, turnout is the key.
So what is Kendrick’s base and how does he turn them out? Well his obvious initial base are African American voters, who make up nearly 15% of the electorate. Does anyone believe Kendrick Meek will not carry more than 90% of the African American vote?
Kendrick will also hold great appeal to other minority voters, particularly Hispanics. Why, especially as Marco Rubio would seem to have a natural appeal? Rubio is completely and quite vocally against Amnesty and any path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He also supports an Arizona style law and is flirting with supporting a revised interpretation of the 14th Amendment. Agree with these positions or not, Hispanic voters will abandon Rubio in droves and support the only candidate who comes close to supporting what they want, Kendrick Meek (Crist has also taken a position, at least for now, against Amnesty).
With Hispanics representing about 12% of the vote statewide, and with a disproportionate number likely to come out this year with everything they have on the line, Kendrick Meek should have at least 25% of the vote without one White voter casting a ballot for him.
When the point is made that the truly Conservative Charlie Crist, despite his finger in the air veto of the ultrasound bill, is vehemently against a woman’s right to choose, has a 100% rating with the NRA because of his opposition to any form of gun control, including assault weapons, and his position on Health Care, which, according to his web site is “Let the free market determine health care costs”, I believe most Democrats will have no where to go but to Kendrick Meek. At the very least, enough to give him another 10% – 15%, and the margin he needs to win.
Meek will be helped by Rubio, who will join in the chorus of those pointing out that Crist has no political compass and who will do or say anything to win. Yellow Dog Democrats, like them or not, along with more than enough Moderate Democrats and Independents, who I haven’t even addressed but at least some of whom will vote for Meek, will not vote for a Right Wing Extremist like Rubio, and Kendrick Meek will be the next United States Senator from Florida.
The bottom line is that a vote for Kendrick Meek is a vote for Kendrick Meek.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:45 am
Buddy, how far was Crist ahead of Rubio last year? More than Meek is behind now, yes, I think so?
Was Dewey ahead of Truman? I think so.
How far was Ed Koch ahead of Mario Cuomo a month out?
How far was Geller ahead of Gunzburger 4 months ago?
How far was Allen ahead of Jim Webb in Virginia 3 months out?
How far was Bush ahead of Gore 3 months out? double digits for many months in that one.
……..and on and on…t’aint over til it is over…
BECAUSE STONE COLD SAYS SO AND THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE!!!
August 31st, 2010 at 12:12 pm
@ flagman623
The TEA party is now a legitimate party just like Dems & Reps.
Stands for Taxed Enough already.
However, they have no organization and while once embraced by the right. The right is distancing itself from them because they are getting too radical.
Their philosophy is basically to throw every incumbent out of office and replace them with clueless minions. As though this will solve the countries problems.
MY question is this: Where the hell was the TEA Party when the Bush’s ravaged this country?
August 31st, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Let’s face it:
Even if this were a two way race between Meek and Rubio…Rubio would win.
As Buddy says, it’s always been about Crist and Rubio.
Meek doesn’t stand a chance…he’s the spoiler. Anyone can see that he won’t be our next Senator. It’s between Crist and Rubio.
Buddy’s right by saying that Meek should drop out…otherwise the Dems that vote for Meek will be electing Senator Rubio…a plurality Senator who will torment the Dems for years and likely be the VP candidate in 2012. I’m sure the Republicans would have loved to stop Obama in 2004…but they didn’t. Here’s every Dem voters’ chance to stop Rubio, who is as close to the Republican version of Obama as you can get.
August 31st, 2010 at 1:42 pm
It is what it is. Buddy has hit the nail on the head again
This democrat is voting for Charlie.
August 31st, 2010 at 1:44 pm
@ G.B.
You are right on the money. But let me just add the TEA party started as an anti-Obama campaign and there are many racists involved who refuse to see a black man as POTUS. They sre ignorant, intolerant and racist. Now remmeber, Marco Rubio is their poster child. God help us if Rubio wins.
August 31st, 2010 at 4:08 pm
This being Buddy’s blog, he can say whatever he pleases.
However, that doesn’t make him right.
Vote for Kendrick Meek if you want to have a say in how your country is run. Vote for Kendrick Meek if you want someone to fight in Washington for your rights. Vote for Kendrick Meek if you’re not afraid of the politico establishment that tries to disenfranchise voters – the likes of whom equate to Jeff Greene supporters (like Buddy, I guess).
Vote for Kendrick Meek because he’s the best choice on the ticket.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Kendrick Meek is the only real Democrat in the race. He was nominated by the largest political party in Florida. Rubio is a true conservative Republican, and Charlie has always been and voted for the interest of the Republican Party, too, until he was rejected by them and then did what was good for Charlie, not the the people. What did Charlie ever do for the State while he was governor, anyway. I will not vote for him because he is a nice guy. After all, George Bush was a nice guy, too. Wasn’t he? I will not vote for him because he has a nice tan, either. Rather I will vote for Kendrick Meek because of his record of fighting for the middle class. He has been there fighting to stop offshore drilling, unlike Charlie or Rubio. He is on the people’s side, a real democrat, and if Charlie really cared about the people instead of himself, he should drop out and let Meek take it to Rubio, one on one.
September 4th, 2010 at 4:37 am
All smart Florida Independents and Democrats know that Kendrick Meek should not quit. Since he is the only Democrat in the race with clear positions on the issues, the two Conservative Republicans Christ and Rubio will steal votes from each other. That means a vote for Christ will effictively be a vote for Meek and obviously a vote for Meek will be a vote for Meek. Consequently, Meek will win!
September 19th, 2010 at 3:04 am
Meek should drop out.
Its the only way to get people like
‘PHAT Black Chick’ to vote for christ.
Some people are idealists by nature; unfortunately politics/the real world arent so. The chance of meek winning is very very very small. Theres a big difference between courage ala rosa parks and daydreaming of meeks victory.
people should be practical.Mr Meek and the democratic party should be practical. Not only should meek resign; he should turn over his campaign finances to embattled democrats like in illinois.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:06 am
If we are not ready to compromise than we are no better than the tea party and GoD save america. The constitution was based on compromises.And thats how democracy is supposed to work anyways. God save florida and the United save from the likes of rubio and meek
September 19th, 2010 at 3:10 am
look at arlen specters voting record after he became a democrat…It was totally progressive. So will be christ’s if he gets elected due to meek pulling out. Forget the past its gone look towards the future.
We have a choice between a better improved much more liberal Christ or a far far worse Rubio
October 6th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Amazing. Ask the ONE African American senate candidate (and real democrat) to DROP OUT. Gotta love the Democrat party.
October 12th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
An open letter to Mr. Meek.
http://handthatfeedsyou.blogspot.com/2010/10/call-for-magnanimity.html
October 12th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
this is silliness…Rubio is the issue and people with a memory (the non wingnuts) should vote for the guy in 2nd place on the day before electon day
October 13th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Kendrick Meek’s legacy will be to elect a Tea Party member of the U. S. Senate from Florida. For the next six years this nation will be plagued by Marco Rubio because of Kendrick Meek’s pride and the Democrats suicidal stubborness. MEEK MUST QUIT THE RACE NOW!!!!!!
October 20th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Meek is a DIMWIT not to quit, but for some reason, he continues. Curiously, the bigwig Democrats have encouraged his madness. Meek would have lost to Jeff Greene if Obama had not come down to Florida to boost him, not to mention Obama arm-twisting other bigwig Democrats to come down here to back Meek.
Now, unbelievably, CLINTON is down here supposedly backing Meek. But what both Obama and Clinton are REALLY doing is simply sucking-up to the black vote in Florida, in preparation for 2012.
Both Obama and Clinton are WAY too smart to actually believe that Meek has the tiniest chance of winning. They are both following THEIR OWN agendas. How do you say HILL-UH_REE, HILL-UH-REE. As if a political genius like Clinton actually believes that Meek has a chance! HA! Meek is a fool.
This election is also a continuation and a manifestation of the fact that the Democratic Florida primaries are a JOKE.
I am still FURIOUS that my vote for Hillary in the 2008 Democratic primary was IGNORED, so that those FASCISTS could ram Obama down our throats, even tho Florida voted for Hillary 50-37%.
And now the same DNC FASCISTS have attempted to ram Meek down Florida Democrats’ throats. But guess what? They puked him out!
Meek is going to LOSE by the most embarrassing margin in recent history. It is almost UNTHINKABLE that a Florida Democratic senatorial candidate can garner no more that 20%!!!
But rather than save themselves that extreme humiliation, and also possibly save themselves from wingnut Rubio, “the big fool says to push on”.
What a JERK! This may even signal the near-death of the Florida Democratic Party. 20%?!?!?! They’re roadkill.
October 20th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
hey..CHARLIE has been a Dem all along.. so the dems arent dead…sink will prove that…wise meek voters will switch even if he doesnt drop out..besides Marco is not Sharon Angle…just another no tax know nothing
October 20th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
January 2011, The Capitol: “Introducing the Distinguished Gentleman from Florida, Senator Marco Rubio.”
October 27th, 2010 at 7:33 am
VOTE FOR CHARLIE CRIST!
WE HAVE TO BE SMART THIS TIME!
I just watched the 3 candidate debate and saw how rubio dodged directly answering a question regarding the extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. The obvious deflection of the answer, filled with untruth, was so frightening it was hard to watch.
Meek should not make the same mistake Darryl Jones did a few years back when he ran for Govenor.
Janet Reno would have been great for Florida!
Many have wondered if Jones was paid to get in that race to take votes away from Janet. Wonder if Meek is doing the same for Crist to assure a Rubio win.
WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR CRIST, WE HAVE TO SAVE FLORIDA! CHARLIE CRIST IS FLORIDA!
October 29th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
[…] Here is his May column. I agreed with him here. […]