First Dem Enters Florida Senate Race

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) is expected to announce he is running for retiring Sen. Mel Martinez's (R-Fla.) seat on Tuesday morning, making him the first Democrat in the race.

Meek, a four-term congressman, has announced a 10 a.m. EST press conference in Miami, where Democratic sources with knowledge of his plans said he is set to announce he is entering the race.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[The Albany Kid]

But will he be able to get the Latino vote and/or the Jewish vote? I hope that Wasserman-Schulltz and some other relevant big shots are truly willing to back this impressive young Brother.

[TrueBlueMajority]

Meek has not impressed me. I have seen him on C-Span and he has never stood out to me in a positive way. I have seen him in hearings attempting to grandstand and not having enough gravitas to pull it off. I wish him well and will be proud of him if he wins, but I have a feeling that someone with more name recognition, ability to raise money, and long-term political stature may successfully challenge him.

[AndThenOneDay]

The game has changed, and maybe he'll change with it. A 4-term congressman is a good resume opener for the senate.

[ishok]

Maybe I'll get over it with time but I still remember how Rep. Meek went after Obama. Much of it was the type of "over-the-line" attacks that I consider almost unforgivable. That whole crowd of SJ-Lee, ST-Jones, Bob Johnson, K Meek, D Palmer were particularly nasty in their attacks in the Dem Primary obviously tasked to do the gutter work of the "Clinton War Machine" because they were black.

I lost respect for them.

[jean22]

I hope you don't "get over it with time". These politicians count on our "short memories" . He (they) carried Clinton's water to the very end. Let them have what they have diligently earned ....a loss of respect.

[THE JEDI 69]

Well after Bush I would think it's a compliment to be called an articulate well spoken person in American Politics

[jdmba]

To all the pending "articulate" or "well-spoken" comments:

I don't find it r@cist, as much as just condescending. You know why.

If we are complimenting someone's oratory style, then we tend to say that they are "engaging," or "inspiring" or "intelligent" or "knowledgable."... Unless we are differentiating him from the "Others" who look like him. Then we are pleasantly surprised that he can string together a sentence.

And yes, this has been going on long before Bush and Palin. After all, a Black person who spoke like either of them would NEVER have gotten that far politically.

[robXdion]

Sometimes a compliment is just a compliment. Ever heard the man speak?

[jdmba]

Well what is the nature of the compliment? That he "speaks good?" What about him is worth complimenting? This isn't to say that he doesn't deserve a compliment, but that I'd hope it would take a better form than the same ol, same ol.

One of my Black law professors complained about this same thing. Yes, he was a very intelligent man, and it came across in how he spoke. But that was his job. He's a professor. Why should it surprise anyone that he speaks good?

[robXdion]

The point is that many in Congress regardless of color can't communicate as well as he does and COMPLETELY shutdown Chris Matthews to where he just has to listen in amazement. And that's hard to do. No one is saying that blacks shouldn't speak good or that's it's a surprise in of itself. It's just that it's rare to have anyone make their points so deftly and coherently while leaving nothing for rebuttal. This is a testament to his skill as a HUMAN BEING period. Not many can do it that well regardless of race. He makes Rea.gan or any other voice actor look like jokes. Like I said, listen to the man speak.

[pewty]

I believe your meaning to say "speaks well"

[pewty]

Hmmmm "that he speaks well" imho

[marinade]

He has a criminal justice degree. He isn't exactly a scholar. He has already served 4 terms. What exactly does he bring to the table? He's another lightweight career politician.

[America2011]

I will be supporting him because he is black...it is a damn shame that in this country we have only one black senator and well he isn't seen as a viable candidate. America is still in the depths of racial prejudices and even after Obama's election we still see an absolutely systemic race problem in every other level of government. I am even more disgusted in a report that Harry Reid said no to every black candidate mentioned for the job of Senator of Illinois. I find this repulsive, if true, and really indicative of the total problem with America both Democrats and Republican.

[Kim444]

He needs more than the black support to win...Dear

[jdmba]

Yet Prop 8 passed with only a Black vote! Amazing how that works.

[America2011]

I absolutely understand the importance of having broad based support, but my point is that I, a usually color blind voter, am really disgusted that the Senate has only one african american. It is sad an deeply unacceptable especially of the democrat party that would be nowhere if there support among aa's dipped below 80 percent. The simple fact is that the democratic party is a big fat lie and well I have realized it for a long time the only problem is that the republican party has not done a good job of diversity neither...

[theone718]

Of course Debbie W-S(literally my top 5 favorite politicians period, interesting 2 of them are from Florida) isn't running for the Senate. She plans on being Speaker of the House in the future.

[jtown]

Oh Hell no, this Clinton support is no OBAMA!

[stell]

Please boot this bootlicker to the curb. He let the Clintons use both he and his family during the Democratic Convention to shield them from charges of r a c i s m. Now he's expecting everyone to come out in full force for him. I hope he crashes and burns.

[robXdion]

Was he that mysterious token black sitting next to Bill during Hill's speech? I was wondering who that was and why would they let themselves be used that way?

[stell]

Bingo. His son was the one sitting next to Clinton in the crowd. Is it just me or did he look high? His eyes looked tight and shiny as if he had just dropped in some Visine.

[postman606]

You could compile a Who's Who of A.A politicians who at some point in time publicly supported Hillary. Many changed to Obama at some point, but some stayed loyal to Hillary. That fact alone is no reflection, just a political reality.

[AlligatorShuz]

I wished Michigan had a young man like Kendrick Meeks. We are stuck with ole out dated Carl Levin and wide Debbie Stabenow.

[HC4BO]

That guy MUST be a giant ... look at the woman beside him in that pic ... lol ...

Now that is someone I want fighting for me ... literally ... lol ...

[chicagoike]

This guy is quite good on the stump, what surprises me is that I though the Congresswoman with him would be the one running for the Senate seat. He will need a heavy dose of Obama, all day everyday.

[chicagoike]

Nice guy and well spoken too, I saw him at an Obama rally and he was very good. He has the advantage over Barack Obama in that his name is Not a Funny one. The Bad news is that Nobody knows his name, Meeks will have some work to do.

[htd2009]

GO KENDRICK!!!

[robXdion]

Very well spoken guy. Intelligent and doesn't back down. He'll do well.

[Seven7s]

Very well spoken guy.

^^^ I totally agree. Not like those other hip-hopper, ebonic speaking, Tupac painting drawing Negroes in congress right?

I cant believe people still say this these days. It's not just white people either. SMH

I mean can someone please point out a black politician that isnt "well-spoken?"

[Banghouse]

Hey Seven7s, I beg your pardon, but every politician is not exactly well spoken. G. W. Bush is proof of that.

Ease up homey.

[robXdion]

Calm down there, "Malcolm Next". ---- I'm a "well-spoken" young black male, hip hop fan, and occasionally use "ebonics" and "country-grammar". And I know plenty of non-blacks not so "well-spoken". - Fact is Meeks is a better communicator than most of the members of EITHER house of congress, black, white or polka dot. Your super sensitivity about people's comments on his speaking ability is unbecoming. Just relax. There are WORSE things to be called than "well spoken", geeeezzzz!! And no one said anything about a comparison to a rapper or that other word you used (why even go there?)

And since you asked there's at least 3 not so great black congressional speakers (the mods won't let their names be posted) and the rest (minus 2) largely avoid cameras because they can't hang and couldn't motivate a middle school gym class. So you got anymore bright questions or are you gonna proceed straight to the slurs because you don't have anything left?

[robXdion]

Have you ever really heard Meeks speak and answer questions? Listen to him and Bobby Rush and a few others, then get back to us with your super-sensitivity.

[jdmba]

I still don't think it's necessary to say that he's "well-spoken." That is rarely, if ever, used to describe whi.te politicians.

As an "eloquent" Black female, I get sick of it, too.

[CK4NYSenate]

Can we get off this horse already. I'm Black, and not all us are offended to hear another Black person is articulate. It is not racist or condescending. I've never heard the man speak, but if he's well-spoken so be it. Would you rather have someone say that he speaks palin?