Now that Kendrick Meek is the Democratic nominee in Florida, will DU enforce its rules?

[Ken Burch]

For weeks now, and for no good reason, DU has done nothing to stop posters here from campaigning ON THIS BOARD for a Republican who's just pretending to be an independent in the Florida U.S. Senate race.

Now that Kendrick Meek has won the Democratic primary, and has run up a huge vote total in our party's primaries, will DU finally put a stop to the Crist cult on this board?

Tonight's result proves that Kendrick Meek is electable. This means that ALL Democrats are now obligated to campaign for him. And it means that DU can no longer allow this board to be used by a conspiracy against a Democratic candidate from the Right.

[LAGC]

1. I think we need to beat that fascist teabagger Rubio at all costs.

If, in fact, Meek's poll numbers in the general election don't significantly improve between now and November (he's in a very distant third place right now), I can't fault anyone for voting for the lesser of the evils and going with Crist so that Rubio doesn't win.

But by all means, support and promote Meek in the meantime! If I was living in Florida and got a polling call, I'd definitely say I was voting for Meek, just to make his numbers look better. But at the end of the day, if there is a big disparity in polling numbers and it looks certain that Crist and Meek are going to split the left-leaning vote and allow Rubio to win, I hope the weaker candidate has the fortitude to drop out of the race so that it doesn't happen.

We can't let Rubio win!

[Divine Discontent]

3. it is obvious that there are many Dems who will back Meek openly and keep doing so, but

come election day, if Meek is 20 points back, and Crist is less than 10 off of the hyper-conservative Rubio, there will be a ton of people who will then back Crist. That is just my opinion, because of the disgust in candidates like Rubio and Rick Scott (the GOP gov. nominee). I support Meek, and I hope he can make inroads with Crist's Democratic and liberal supporters so we don't see a big election day drop in what Meek ends up with compared to the last poll that is put out.

I can tell you, I do not want Rubio as my senator, he will be as bad, or worse than Martinez was, and to think of having Rubio get a 6 year set of votes to promote right-wing thuggery is very unnerving. Go Meek!

[Ken Burch]

23. Florida Democrats can't recover if their Senate candidate drops out in the fall!

Other than Alan Grayson, none of the other races MATTER in that state. Certainly not the governor's race, which is basically trivial.

Especially since the legislature's going to stay Republican no matter what.

[suzie]

31. The Governor's Race is trivial?

And you know that from Alaska because?

This is the same governor's office that appoints the Secretary of State that oversees the Supervisors of Elections? Does Election 2000 ring any bells with you?

The same governor who can have influence over redistricting? In my Congressional district, the Democrat's hometown, where his family has lived forever and where he lives, was gerrymandered out of his district.

The governor of Florida who oversaw this huge fiasco with mortgage originators that aided the whole mortgage meltdown process. That's "trivial"?

Please go condescend to the voters of some other state whose politics you know something about.

[HooptieWagon]

44. The WH considers FL Gov race more important than Senator

because of the upcoming redistricting.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. How Is A Governor's Race Trivial To The People Who Live In That State?

Florida resident since 1970.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Divine Discontent]

4. it's gonna be ugly - the sitting gov who switched to Independent Vs a GOP hyper-conservative Vs Meek

:crazy:

[davidpdx]

5. The rolling eyes aren't enough

I think you needed something that breathes fire. lol

[Dawgs]

6. Give it up. Rubio will be the next Senator from Florida.

Unless Crist or Meek drops out this race will go to the tea bagger.

[Umbral]

7. Meek may be electable, but thousands of Democrats will vote for one of the Republicans.

And one of the Republicans will win. At least they wont have Nader to blame this time.

[WI_DEM]

8. I'm for Meek but more interested in getting Sink elected Governor of FL

in the end that will be the more important race in the long term because of redistricting (FL will gain something like 4 or 5 new congressional seats) and the 2012 presidential election. However, like some others if I were a citizen of FL and it's late October and Meek is running a poor third I would probably vote for Crist to stop Rubio. There is little chance that Crist would be welcomed into the GOP senate caucus and it's much more likely he would vote with Dems much more than Rubio ever would.

[KingFlorez]

9. He's not electable

There is no way he can get elected when he has to compete for the same votes as Charlie Crist. The Democratic vote will be split. Being supportive of Meek is one thing, but we have to be realistic.

[flpoljunkie]

12. Word is Meek was two or three weeks, at the most, to prove he can win,

I wish him luck, but I will not abide Tea Party darling Marco Rubio being our next senator.

[ChiciB1]

19. Same Here... And If You Lived In Florida You Might Be Able To Understand

a little better! Jebby was bad enough, but Rubio is him on STEROIDS!!

Many Democrats here won't vote for Meek if it looks like he can't win! And right now, he just doesn't look all the strong! Meek didn't win last night, Greene BLEW IT! Meek & Greene were neck & neck until all the crap came out about Greene and his antics! Then Greene went down like a deflated balloon!

And I got so many robo-calls from him AND HIS wife I just started screaming at my phone!! It was way over the top, and until he imploded Meek wasn't gaining on Greene at all!

We'll see what the next month will do, but Meek really needs to get his "game" on!! He's not a strong candidate, and he's very DLC. I know of 7 Democrats right now who WILL vote for Crist regardless. I haven't decided and will wait a little longer!

But the thought of RUBIO is a very, very, very scary thing!! Guess you'd have to be here to understand our feelings! I live in a county that NEVER elects any Democrats and Katherine "Cruella" Harris was my representative for two terms! You ARE going to find that there are a lot of Democrats who would do almost anything to keep Rubio from winning!

[flpoljunkie]

52. Obviously, you're not referencing me. You do realize the FL in flpoljunkie means Florida.

[Ken Burch]

22. The differences between Crist and Rubio are trivial

And we can assume that Crist would organize with the R's if he won.

The "independent" thing is a scam. He's still a conservative.

[WI_DEM]

25. No you can't assume he will organize with the GOP especially if it's dems and indies

who would give him victory. The GOP would be furious at him for allowing a "true believer" to lose. The differences between Crist and Rubio are hardly 'trivial.'

[Dr.Phool]

27. You're in Alaska. I'm in Florida.

The differences between Rubio and Crist are enormous. In fact, Crist was a better candidate for Governor, than his opponent Jim Davis. But, since I was a DEC member, I had to hold my nose and vote for Davis, whom I know personally....and loathe.

And I did actively support Rod Smith for Governor in the primary, who is a welcome addition to Alex Sink's ticket.

[suzie]

28. Wow, I'd paid attention only to SInk, but Rod Smith is also on the ticket?

You're correct, a very good addition to the ticket.

[tritsofme]

32. You think Crist would choose the join the minority?

That sounds like a pretty stupid idea for a politician who has a choice. Crist has spent the last months several sticking his thumbs in the Republican's eyes, I don't think he has very many friends left over there.

And in the off chance it is a Republican majority after the election, then Rubio would likely be headed to the Senate anyways.

[HooptieWagon]

53. While you were worried about Fla elections, your state elected Palin.

[SwampG8r]

54. the former republican will cost the democrat votes?

why does this math seem....fuzzy?

[Bullet1987]

10. The question I have is...why are there Democrats voting for a former Rethug anyway?

We can't blame the Democratic Party anymore when there are rank-and-file Dem voters who don't even vote for the Democrat & instead vote for a Republican Independent.

[Dr.Phool]

29. Let me clue you in on Florida politics.

And by the way, Rahm Emmanuel had recruiting Republicans down to a science in Florida to run against progressives. Think Tim Mahoney and Christine Jennings for starters.

In 2006, Debbie Wasserman- Schultz, and Kendrick Meek, publicly refused to back Democrats running against incumbent Republicans because they were "their friends". Wasserman- Schultz, in an interview with the St. Pete Times talked up the virtues of Ginny Brown-Waite, and came just short of a public endorsement over John Russell in the 5th district in 2006. I was especially pissed off over that one, because I was Russell's Deputy Campaign Manager, and had sunk 2 years into that campaign.

And just months ago, they were trying to force a Dem (also a former Republican) out of a race so they could insert another Republican, who was going to change parties and run as a Dem. And Wasserman-Schultz and the DCCC's and the FDP's fingerprints were all over it.


There's a short lesson in Florida politics. One reason that I am now "No Party Affiliation". I'm particular about the kind of people I work with.

[bvar22]

30. Thats not limited to Florida.

The DCCC/DLC was rigging Democratic Primaries against Progressives on a nationwide level for a long time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=160&topic_id=14207

It comes down to this:
The Big Corporate/Big Money backers of the DLC would rather see a contested seat go to a Republican than to a legitimate Pro-Working Class Progressive Dermocrat.

They have given away the Democratic Senate Seat in Arkansas to a Republican to ensure that it did not go to a Pro-LABOR Democrat.

[Dr.Phool]

33. I know about those.

I'm just talking about races that I have personal knowledge and experience with.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. I rec'd your thread

Because I feel it needed to be said. . . The Democratic Party needs to get behind the Democratic Candidate.

Have we all forgotten how Lieberman turned out for CT?

[GodlessBiker]

46. "Have we all forgotten how Lieberman turned out for CT?" Worth repeating.

[JustAnotherGen]

51. Unfortunately

Yes people have. And they have ALSO forgotten about the Documentary Outrage.

[flamingdem]

13. Meek is RIGHT WING on Cuba Policy, he opposes Obama

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10836613/dems-meek-greene-split-on-stimulus-cuba-policy.html

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. (AP) — Billionaire Jeff Greene wants to consider lifting Cuban trade and travel restrictions and said the $787 billion stimulus is a failure, points Rep. Kendrick Meek disagreed with Sunday in the final debate before the Democratic Senate primary.

The candidates also had different responses on whether they support a mosque opening two blocks from where terrorists crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York City. Greene opposed the idea while Meek didn't directly answer the question, saying as a senator he would not be involved in New York's local government

[JustAnotherGen]

15. I agree with Meek's stance on this

while Meek didn't directly answer the question, saying as a senator he would not be involved in New York's local government

As a Senator from Florida - it's really none of his business.

And I've publicly stated - I don't think it's any of mine though I live 35 miles outside of NYC. This is a NYC issue. Did I lose a friend in 9/11? Yes. But he's a guy who would be telling everyone to "Relax dude. Have a rolling rock. Vote Clinton! (Bill)" So while I think it would honor my liberal friend that died that day -

I don't feel as a citizen of the State of NJ it's any of my business what the people of NYC do.

[totodeinhere]

48. I don't blame Meek for playing politics with this issue. After all, taking a principled stand on

this issue won't matter if you lose the election. I still think that Meek has a shot and if I were in Florida I would be voting for him. Rubio is a lunatic and I don't trust Crist.

[flamingdem]

14. Congressman Kendrick Meek, the Diaz-Balart clone - NOT PROGRESSIVE

http://thehavananote.com/2010/08/fuel_for_the_travel_fire.html

-- snip
Below are annotated highlights from a very important story about Presidential action on people-to-people travel in today's New York Times by Ginger Thompson.

It makes clear why anyone who wants to improve US relations with Cuba should be engaging with and supporting the White House.

The President will be in Miami tomorrow. Will he announce the new policy there? How would that play for Congressman Kendrick Meek, the Diaz-Balart clone whose campaign for the Senate Obama is ostensibly supporting, although the Democrats may actually prefer Charlie Crist?

[Ken Burch]

18. Meek is not a Diaz-Balart clone

And Crist is going to be to Meek's right on that if he's to his right on everything else, so a Crist vote CAN'T be progressive. In fact, if you vote for Crist, you're voting to give up on ever electing a Democrat to that Senate seat. You're voting to kill the Democratic Party, since it can't recover from a strong Crist showing in that race.

Rubio can be beaten by either candidate. There's nothing that damn special about Crist.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

37. Neither is Charlie Crist. What makes us believe that Crist is MORE progressive than Meek?

Even if he *says* he is, how can we be assured that he's not just saying something to win Democratic votes?

[TheKentuckian]

16. The entire stance is a bunch of undemocratic nonsense used to beatdown encouraging liberal

candidates.

There will always be some "pragmatic" explanation for supporting conservatives of varied stripes but see how it goes if a budding Bernie Sanders is encouraged.

Crist fits DLC sensibilities so it is fine to get behind him, move that to the left and it wouldn't fly.

[Ken Burch]

17. Exactly.

n/t.

[w4rma]

20. Does Rep. Meek still work for Wackenhut, in addition to being a Congressman? (nt)

[Ken Burch]

21. Even if he was, that wouldn't be an excuse for backing a right-wing independent.

Face it, a Crist vote can't be a progressive vote.

[w4rma]

26. Crist supports charter schools. Therefore I can't support Crist. (nt)

[Ken Burch]

45. I misunderstood your intent, then.

Sorry.

[scheming daemons]

24. "Tonight's result proves that Kendrick Meek is electable".... really? How so?

It proves he can win a closed Democratic primary.

It doesn't prove he can win a general election.

[golfguru]

35. If you transfer the democratic votes given to chameleon Crist,

to Meek in the primary by expediency minded democrats, Meek rockets upwards.

[Recursion]

50. While we're at it, let's transfer Republican votes from the primary, too!

I mean, while we're just randomly transferring votes and all...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

57. Yeah, Meek Comes In Second In Your Scenario

`

[golfguru]

34. I won't hold my breath n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

36. There's some latent racism inherent in these unwarranted and unfounded attacks against Meek...

I and others have noticed the trend. Why not support the Democrat? Meek has been in politics for a long time. He is respected and knowledgeable. Very bright, competent and productive.

Why not just support the good, reliable Democrat, rather than an untrustworthy, opportunist like Charlie Crist. I like Crist, but he's a Republican who became an Independent because the teabaggers and wingnuts forced him out of the party.

Do ya'll really trust Crist? Just sayin'.

Instead of concluding that Meek is unelectable, why not work to get people out to vote for him? Here's a guy who came back and beat Greene after being down in the polls substantially.

You trust the questionable Independent over the reliable Democrat? Why? Is it really about race? I'm wondering...

[Dr.Phool]

41. It's not about race.

I supported Al Lawson (black) over Alan Boyd (white New Dem) in Florida's second district.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. Well, if it's not about race, then get out the vote and support the reliable Democrat!

[Dr.Phool]

43. He has to earn my vote.

I don't give it away blindly anymore.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

47. Well, then, do your research and see what he's about. I can assure you that he's

probably a better Democrat than Crist.

[DevonRex]

38. While I agree, we're back to game theory. People vote to prevent the worst case scenario from

happening, just like people make deals with the prosecutor to prevent the worst possible sentence from being handed down.

It's all very simple and predictable. If Meek can put on a good show in the next month then you'll see the Republican vote being split and Meek coming out on top. If he does not put on a good show in the next month, then he'll sink to a very distant third place with no hope at all.

DUers are no different. They'll gladly vote for Meek if he has a chance of winning. But they won't take the gamble IF it means getting the worst possible choice elected.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

56. Stop Making Sense

~

[Barack2theFuture]

39. Why start now?

[Ignis]

49. Damn you!

Beat me to it. :D

[Uzybone]

40. I agree, we cant be boosting up Crist here

Meek is our guy.

[Odin2005]

58. DU must be consistant and ban Crist supporters just like they ban Nader supporters.