Confusion arises over Clinton’s Florida supporters

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has received praise for running an error-free presidential campaign, avoiding gaffes such as former Sen. John Edwards’s (D-N.C.) $400 haircut or Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) claim that tornadoes killed 10,000 people in Kansas earlier this year.

{mosads}So it comes as a surprise that her campaign has been involved in a couple of endorsement mix-ups that have emerged in recent days. On Friday, the Miami Herald, citing “sources close to the campaigns” of Clinton and Obama, reported that Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) had endorsed Clinton’s campaign.

Meek, who represents a district with the highest concentration of black voters in Florida, fired off a quick letter to Patti Solis Doyle, Clinton’s campaign manager, stating that he had not endorsed Clinton and that therefore “the Hillary for President Campaign is not authorized to use my name, image or this incorrect news report in any of your campaign literature.”

The Meek boomlet brought to light more endorsement confusion, this time involving Ken Keechl, a Broward County commissioner. Clinton announced Keechl’s endorsement in February, but it turns out he is backing her rival, Edwards.

“I’ve never endorsed Hillary Clinton, although I think she’s a strong candidate,” Keechl said in an interview. “I’m at a loss as [to] how they had me on there. I endorse [Edwards] and only him.”

Mo Elleithee, Clinton’s spokesman, said her campaign had no hand in spreading news that Meek supports the New York senator. But he acknowledged a mistake with Keechl.

“We never announced that we received his endorsement,” he said of Meek. “We continue to reach out to him and continue to hope to earn his support.

As for Keechl, Elleithee said: “That was a miscommunication between our campaign and his office and we apologize for the miscommunication and the misunderstanding.”