Meek says Crist asked him to quit Fla. Senate race

CNN reports: Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek said it was Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and not former President Bill Clinton who asked him to end his Senate bid in Florida.

Meek talked about the issue today during an interview with CNN's American Morning.

Meek denied published reports that Clinton had tried to persuade him to drop out of the race because he might steal votes from Crist.

Crist is running for the Senate as an independent. Meek and Crist are in a race with Republican Marco Rubio.

"He never asked me to get out of the race. I never told him I was getting out of the race," Meek said, referring to Clinton. "Governor Crist talked to me about getting out of the race. I recommend to the governor that he should consider getting out of the race."

The allegations bubbled up Thursday when Crist, the Republican-turned-independent Senate candidate, said he spoke with Meek and "several people" at the White House about having Meek step out of the race.

Crist, who appeared on Fox News, would not specify to whom he spoke to at the White House, but said he spoke to Meek about the possible shift and that Meek was "considering it."

"Any rumor or any statement that I decided to get out of this race is inaccurate at best," Meek said at a Thursday night news conference.

Meek has said neither Clinton nor the Democratic National Committee called him to say he should get out of the race.