Making the rounds on several national television network news shows on Friday morning, Democrat Kendrick Meek lashed out at independent Charlie Crist for fueling what he called false rumors that former President Bill Clinton had asked him to drop out of the Senate race.
``[Clinton] didn't ask me to drop out of the race,'' Meek told Fox & Friends. He said that longtime political mentor had asked him last week about ``rumors'' that he might possibly withdraw from the race.
Meek said he told Clinton that he was not going to bow out of the race. ```That's your decision,''' Meek recalled Clinton telling him during a conversation backstage at a rally in Florida.
He then slammed Crist for playing a political trick to damage his bid for the Senate.
``I don't operate like this, and the bottom line is, is that Charlie Crist does,'' Meek said. ``It's mind boggling.''
Meek said that Crist himself had called him during the campaign to urge him to leave the race.
``I told him I'm not getting out of the race,'' he said. ``I don't sellout on the people of Florida.''
Speaking on CNN's American Morning show, Meek said he shot back at Crist that ``he should consider getting out of the race.''
At 10:30 a.m, Meek arrived to the Florida Education Association conference in Orlando. He immediately spoke by satellite to MSNBC and CNBC anchors as about 30 supporters stood behind him and cheered.
In the interviews, he remained adamant that Clinton didn't ask him to drop out, or that he was considering it.
``We talk politics all the time,'' he said of his relationship with Clinton. ``It was all about political talk. He had heard the rumors.''
``I'm not going to sell out on the people of Florida and cut a deal,'' he said. ``A backroom deal won't deliver a victory or defeat.''
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