Clinton Confirms Talks With Meek

I have a lengthy post on Bill Clinton asking Kendrick Meek to dropout. Dave Hoffman of the Meek campaign originally confirmed the story.

Dave Hoffman said “that was discussed, yeah,” but Hoffman denied that Meek had ever agreed to drop out.

Hoffman said he could not characterize what Clinton said, but then said, “I think ’suggest’ is probably the best … not ’suggest’ … but that (getting out) was discussed yeah.”

Hoffman said the issue was raised as, “Hey, if you want to do this … That was more of the nature of the conversation.”

Hoffman said Meek “never agreed to drop out” and was committed to fighting through Election Day.

Meek and members of his campaign attempted to walk back their own confirmation.

"The president came down to do an event for me in Orlando and St. Petersburg. We talk politics all the time. He said I heard this thing about you getting out. I said, 'I'm not getting out.' I said Charlie Crist needs to get out of the race. And that was that," Meek said.

Clinton confirmed to CNN that he discussed with Meek ending the campaign.

“He was trying to determine what was the best thing for him to do,” Clinton said in an interview with CNN’s Susan Candiotti Thursday. “I knew it was being discussed, people had discussed it on and off… it was no secret.”

Clinton said Meek did not have enough money to break through in the polls.

Clinton confirms the Politico story that he talked with Meek twice about dropping out. The article is a teaser for a CNN interview airing tomorrow.

Clinton's aide Matt McKenna went on-the-record with Politico that Clinton was pressing Meek to dropout. An off-the-record White House official told the Miami Herald said the Obama administration was aware of what was going on.

A White House official said the administration did not initiate talks between Meek and Clinton but was "aware" and ``in the position to let it play out" out of concerns about Rubio winning.

Meek is going to have to deal with the most popular politician in America telling CNN that he is lying about conversations they had. The CNN interview that will air is not going to play well for Meek.

Meek would have never been a Senate candidate if Clinton had not endorsed him. Now Clinton is effectively ending his political career. Is anyone going to take Meek seriously after this atrocious campaign?