Clinton: I Didn't Ask Meek to Quit

Former Prez denies trying to talk Kendrick out of race

Former President Bill Clinton may have given Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek a little advice, but he says he never asked him to drop out of the Florida Senate Race.

Clinton issued a statement Friday denying he told Meek to drop out of the race, only that they spoke last week in Orlando about the challenges Meek is facing and that it's up to him on how to go forward with the campaign.

"I didn't ask Kendrick to leave the race, nor did Kendrick say that he would," Clinton said. "I told him that how he proceeds was his decision to make and that I would support him regardless."

Clinton's statement seemed to contradict a report on politico.com Thursday that said Clinton tried to talk Meek into quitting and that Meek had agreed to do it.

Meek is a distant third in polls behind Republican Marco Rubio and Independent Charlie Crist, and it's thought that Meek's dropping out of the race will help Crist keep Rubio out of Washington.

Meek said Thursday that it was actually Crist who suggested Meek quit, and that Crist had called Clinton's office "trying to persuade them to get me out of this race."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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