Viewers in the Tampa Bay and Orlando television markets were treated Monday night to a tape delayed broadcast of a spirited hour-long debate between Senate Democrats Jeff Greene and Kendrick Meek recorded Sunday afternoon.
There were several moments during the forum when the two looked like they wanted to tear each others heads off. And I must confess to enjoying (on at least two occasions) when Kendrick Meek, in the traditional political debate chatter told Greene that, "I listened to you speak, now listen to me talk," added references to Adam Smith's explosive story in Sunday's St. Petersburg Times about Greene's bullying ways as a leader (according to former employees), saying, "I know you don't like to listen to other people, but..."
Actually when Meek employed the phrase of which he no doubt rehearsed, he added that "he (Greene) didn't speak well to his employees,...it's important to talk and listen to seniors," and others as an elected official, he said, questioning his opponents capacity for empathy.
LIke Bill McCollum, Meek is acting a bit entitled, however, refusing to acknowledge that he would endorse his fellow Democrat if the Palm Beach billionaire, currently leading in most polls, beats him in three weeks. When Greene challenged him on the non-endorsement, asking him if that meant he would be endorsing Charlie Crist or Marco Rubio, Meek said no, it didn't mean that, because in fact he would be the nominee of the Democratic Party come August 25.
Meek blasted Greene as being negative, "Because he's light on ideas, " after Greene blamed Meek in some fashion for the BP oil spill, saying it was "a failure of Kendrick to regulate oil companies." Meek responded that he's received a 100% rankng from the League of Conservation Voters and Environment Florida.
Although aggressive, Meek seemed to be worn down by Greene's attacks via his television ads and direct mail pieces, the last essentially accusing the Miami Congressman of being a crook. Defending his vote for TARP, the $700 billion bailout in September of 2008, Meek insisted he had no choice but to vote for the onerous legislation, before adding, "Nothing is good in Jeff Greene's world. The President is a 'career politician'. The Vice President is a 'career politician.'"
