What do Mitch McConnell and Robert Kennedy Jr. have in common? They’re both Republicans and they both support federal bans on abortion. Lots of presidential wannabes were in Iowa this weekend for the state fair, and Kennedy was one of them. He has literally no support other than the Republican Ratf–ker Caucus, but sure. He’s a “candidate.” At the Iowa State Fair, he was asked about abortion, because of course he was. His first answer was convoluted. His second answer was too.
Democratic presidential hopeful and known anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Sunday that he would support a national ban on abortion after the first three months of pregnancy if elected, only to walk back the stance hours later alleging he “misunderstood” repeated questions from NBC News on the topic.
“Mr. Kennedy misunderstood a question posed to him by an NBC reporter in a crowded, noisy exhibit hall at the Iowa State Fair,” a spokesperson said, clarifying the candidate’s stance on abortion as “always” being the woman’s right to choose. Kennedy “does not support legislation banning abortion,” the spokesman added.
But Sunday morning, Kennedy was much more specific, telling NBC: “I believe a decision to abort a child should be up to the women during the first three months of life.” Pressed on whether that meant signing a federal ban at 15 or 21 weeks, he said yes.
“Once a child is viable, outside the womb, I think then the state has an interest in protecting the child,” he continued, adding “I’m for medical freedom. Individuals are able to make their own choices.”
The original stance put Kennedy — who’s mounting a controversial, long -shot bid to unseat President Joe Biden as the Democratic standard-bearer in 2024 — out of step with the majority of his party at a time when abortion access has been a sustained motivator for voters.
“I believe a decision to abort a child” is the language of anti-choice, forced-birth activists. You’re not aborting a child, you’re aborting a fetus. A fetus at three months is not viable either. It’s always the anti-vaxxers too – they’re so comfortable adopting the language of choice, with many of them screaming “my body, my choice” when it comes to vaccines. But ask those anti-vaxxers if they think the government should dictate reproductive care and suddenly the government has every right to impose itself on certain people’s bodies. Anyhoodle, Robert F. Kennedy is the Kanye West of 2024, pass it on.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Robert Kennedy Jr., Cheryl Hines at the 2018 HBO Emmy Party, Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood, CA 09-17-18,Image: 533990358, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martin Sloan / Avalon
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- Press conference by Robert F. Kennedy Jr, founder of Children’s Health Defense, before the demonstration against the Green Pass . Milan, Italy 13 November 2021,Image: 643007662, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Nicola Marfisi / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- Press conference by Robert F. Kennedy Jr, founder of Children’s Health Defense, before the demonstration against the Green Pass . Milan, Italy 13 November 2021,Image: 643007674, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Nicola Marfisi / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- Press conference by Robert F. Kennedy Jr, founder of Children’s Health Defense, before the demonstration against the Green Pass . Milan, Italy 13 November 2021,Image: 643007695, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Nicola Marfisi / AGF Foto / Avalon
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- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. out in Noho one day after testifying in Congress over racist and Antisemitic comments on Covid-19. Featuring: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Where: New York, New York, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Janet Mayer/startraksphoto.com
He is getting so weird and awful. If he can’t talk about issues without getting time to consult with his overlords then he doesn’t belong in the field. Tragic man.
No more nepo baby Kennedys holding public office, please and thank you.
The terrifying thing is the right wing nut job voters like him. If he flipped parties now he absolutely could get the nomination and end up in the White House.
Terrifying, but I would still love to see him admits he’s a Republican just to see how Trump reacts to this nonsense great on his donation revenue stream.
There are right wingers who say they’ll vote for him even if he runs as a Democrat.
Roger Stone is already supporting I’m as Trump’s running mate
Bobby Jr is working with orgs supported by MTG and Steve Bannon. He also supports Putin when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The only people who are touting him as a Dem are GQP folks and the media. He has Woody Harrelson’s endorsement so I’m sure Susan Sarandon isn’t far behind in announcing her support
I have such a visceral reaction to videos and photos of him. I cannot stand him. And there’s no way he’s fit for such an important role.
I do too, because he looks so very much like his father. He’s got the name. He’s got the look. And it just pisses me off royally because I think Bobby Kennedy’s murder was one of those seminal turning points in the world where things changes – we didn’t quite know how much or in what way, but they changed.
1968 was such a terrible year. A gazillion reasons why but the murders of Martin Luther King and RFK did seem to be the beginning of the ongoing crisis. Even more so than the JFK assassination.
@Brassy Rebel, I was 6 years old in 1968. RFK came to my tiny little town in Bedford, Indiana on a campaign stop in May of that year. My dad took me downtown to meet him. I didn’t really know much of what was going on other than he was President Kennedy’s brother. When he was killed, I distinctly remember that we were in Florida on a family vacation. The news came on that RFK had been killed and I will never forget my father jumping up from the bed and saying “Now that sonofabitch Nixon is going to be President!” He was right of course. That’s just one of the memories that is so clearly etched in my mind, even though I was just 6.
Nice drunkface. Agree that it’s time for the Kennedy name to stop getting losers elected to office. Camelot is long gone.
All that coke has gone to his head and the damage he did is finally coming through.
And yet nobody is asking him about his ex wife’s death and how badly he treated her and those kids.
I wasn’t familiar with the ex wife story, which sounds very tragic, but what am I missing / what didn’t make it onto Wikipedia? Wikipedia makes it sound like she suffered from depression and alcoholism, and I personally know a few people that suffered from that terrible combination that took their lives (no one I was close with, college acquaintances). Are you saying that the death itself was suspicious – do many women hang themselves as their chosen method of suicide – or that the events leading up to her suicide were suspicious? I am not trying to debate you or question you, I just wasn’t aware of any of it.
I am not voting for him either way but I did think he was a viable democratic candidate. So this is all new to me – I apologize for my naïveté but figured people here could educate me!
Just do a Google and read the many articles about the situation. She was a troubled woman, but he treated her abominably. He was a relentless and flagrant philanderer. Before her death, he cut off the financial support the court ordered, admitting he did it to try to force her to sign the divorce papers. She was borrowing money from friends to buy groceries. All while living with his current wife. And posing for public pictures with their children and the side piece, knowing she’d see them. Horrible man.
Concern Fae, thank you for taking the time to comment. “ She was a troubled woman, but he treated her abominably.” That sums it up well. I appreciate you (and other commenting on other threads) taking the time to educate me on this. Horrible situation that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Try as we might, none of us could ever give a more eloquent response to this deluded nepo baby’s candidacy, or indeed his very existence, than that simple loud, long fart from a few weeks back.
If he was really for medical freedom he would be pro-abortion. He is not.
I can’t with this guy. Also, if my dad and uncle were murdered connected to being president or trying to be president – I’d for sure take my old money to a different career. What I hate most about these vanity campaigns is the utter waste of money that could actually help ppl. But instead here this dude is.
Doesn’t surprise me. Isn’t he catholic? I know the reason we couldn’t codify row is because of the catholic democrats that wouldn’t get on board. Joe Biden has changed his views to pro-choice over the years.
Such an unpleasant person. Never forget how he treated his first wife and how she died.
Kennedy misunderstands many things. But he did not misunderstand this question. Rather, he found out the hard way what happens when you’re running in the Dem primary while all your money and support flows from Republicans. He’s going to be in for a bumpy ride.
Aborting viable babies isn’t an actual thing that’s necessary to legislate against ffs.
Boy, bye. F you.
Abortions that take place 20 weeks+ happen because there is either a serious problem with the fetus or with the mother’s health. There is PLENTY of documentation of this.
RFK Jr. also wants to prosecute doctors who have engaged in legal medical research. I really hope people recognize how insane his positions are.
As we get older we become more ourselves.
Which means this guy – like so many white men before him – is a total bullshit liar who has always been willing to say or do anything to keep his power and thus nothing he has ever said or done in his life was authentic.
End of.
He’s gross in so many ways, including his diary of women
Ugh. I had forgotten about his creepy diary.
He needs to be kept out of the Democratic Party debates. He’s only there to derail things and stir up sh1t.
His face is transforming into the monster he is. Divorce him, Cheryl!
Why would he be pro-abortion? He has his lot and, due to excessive substance abuse, couldn’t produce anymore if he tried. I can’t imagine why anyone would be interested in this Kennedy being a viable candidate in any party.
It’s pro-choice, not pro-abortion. And the choice is for women to make about their own bodies. Gloria Steinem once said if men could have babies, the right to an abortion would either be in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights (I forget which). And she is absolutely right.
Reminds me of a comedian who said, “If men could get pregnant, there’d be drive-thru abortions”. (Rita Rudner? Maybe another Celebitch can help me out here)
Well I guess the Republicans have to find another shill to steal votes from Biden. Wanting to outlaw abortion at the federal level is a non-starter. Anyone who has touch with reality can see that. But Mr Anti-vax proves once again how insane he is.
RFK, JR. is a nutjob. Spotify’s fave, Joe Rogan, thinks he’s great. I hope Cheryl Hine’s exits stage left, Irish exits him, whatever. Save yourself girl. Stop bothsidesing things. His d*ck ain’t worth his nuttery. At all. He’s not a face of a democratic ticket. Grrrrrrr.
https://variety.com/2023/tv/politicians/cheryl-hines-robert-f-kennedy-jr-separation-offer-vaccine-1235639704/