On Monday, Robert Kennedy Jr. announced that he would run as an independent in the 2024 presidential campaign. It’s giving Kanye West 2.0 – a Republican stooge attempting to ratf–k the election by steering Democratic voters away from the Democratic candidate. Junior’s main backers, for months now, are all Republican operatives. Junior’s whole platform is a Republican fever dream of anti-vaxx, anti-science and anti-abortion stances. He fully supports a federal abortion ban (the government needs to control women’s bodies!) but he rejects every vaccine mandate (the government has no right to dictate public health issues!).
In a move that could alter the dynamics of the 2024 election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Monday that he would continue his presidential run as an independent candidate, ending his long-shot pursuit of the Democratic nomination against an incumbent president.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters outside the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Mr. Kennedy, a leading vaccine skeptic and purveyor of conspiracy theories, said he represented “a populist movement that defies left-right division.”
“The Democrats are frightened that I’m going to spoil the election for President Biden, and the Republicans are frightened that I’m going to spoil it for Trump,” he said. “The truth is, they’re both right. My intention is to spoil it for both of them.”
In a 45-minute speech on Monday, Mr. Kennedy described encounters across America with people he called the “ranks of the dispossessed,” interspersed with angry barbs about “the surveillance state” and the “tyranny of corruption.” He quoted the Old Testament, John Adams, Martin Luther King Jr., Tennyson and his own father.
But Mr. Kennedy, the scion of a liberal political dynasty, has alienated his own family members and many Democrats with his promotion of conspiracy theories, his rejection of scientific orthodoxies and his embrace of far-right political figures.
“Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment,” four of Mr. Kennedy’s siblings — Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy II and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend — said in a statement on Monday. “We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.”
For several days now, there’s been some consistent reporting on Donald Trump’s growing concerns about Junior’s candidacy. I have no idea if Trump is spending the money for internal polling, but I would assume that someone has some data suggesting that, thirteen months out from the presidential election, Kennedy would pull more votes away from Trump than Biden. It will be interesting to see if Trump goes after Kennedy, just as it will be interesting to see if Junior’s Republican backers/handlers/ratf–kers begin to rein him in so he can position himself as more of a Democratic spoiler. The only reason he’s running as an independent is because the Dems didn’t take his bait – he has been a non-factor for months, despite the media trying to hype Kennedy as some major threat to President Biden.
Also: Kennedy’s wife Cheryl Hines introduced him at his big announcement. So… she’s involved. She was trying to pretend like she didn’t have anything to do with her husband’s politics, but she got that Republican-wife blowout and she’s never going back.
Cheryl Hines doing the introduction for RFK Jr. pic.twitter.com/IDSQf5llwv
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 9, 2023
RFK Jr's campaign is off to a great start
*cue Curb music* pic.twitter.com/JMyKF3pvNA
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2023
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.
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- Robert F Kennedy Jr, Cheryl Hines at “A Bad Mom’s Christmas” Premiere, Village Theater, Westwood, CA 10-30-17,Image: 522018071, 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, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martin Sloan / Avalon
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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 changed parties and he should change his name. He is a disgrace to society as well as his family who speaks out against him.
But his name might be his only selling point with Democrats. I just hope voters actually listen to him and pay attention to his presentation and his platform. Democrats and Progressives will run the other way, and — fingers crossed — he’ll siphon off some votes that might otherwise have gone to Trump.
Clearly with his current platform he would draw some of the crazy votes from Trump!
Junior doesn’t seem the type of politician to be “ handled” ( just ask his family) should his aides try reposition him.
This initially strikes me as a good thing..
Sadly, he will also draw plenty of left wing votes too thanks to the wellness-to-QAnon pipeline.
Maybe, but in my experience those types of far off, floating away with the fairies left wingers weren’t ever going to cast a vote for any Democrat, ever. Plus that section of the “left” is so small and shrinking as people see what “purity” votes cost progress.
Susan Sarandon has probably found her 2024 candidate though.
Please ! Those types switched over o the Republican and libertarians during the Trump administration. They are not left anymore. RFK will siphon off Republican voters if anything
I agree. He will only attract the bigliest MAGAs who don’t find Trump MAGA enough for them.
His wife sounds so so very annoying, I hit pause on the video after 3.5 seconds.
…like Goop???
My mom – full Q and maga – said that she really liked him, so that’s his audience.
I work in the wellness media space and I feel like I’m screaming into the void. I urge you not to underestimate the appeal folks like RFK Jr to left wing folks, not just the “floating away with the fairies”. I’m not talking about the super new age folks, but the average suburban mom at the local yoga studio. It’s a very real and insidious issue across the country.
Having experienced working with him a decade ago I can attest he is totally “unhandleable”, rude, arrogant and uncooperative. The only good thing about this is he’ll take votes away from the Rethugs and no Democrat in their right mind would flip Independent. When his own family excoriates him publicly you know he’s going to belly-flop big time. I imagine Cheryl Hines is going to be front and centre, using her acting skillz to shill for him and playing the devoted “Casey DeSantis” political wife. I cannot fathom why she married him. Yuck.
His family opposing him helps him, because the Kennedys are about as ‘establishment’ as they come.
I don’t know how this could possibly work out if he actually manages to get attention and pull votes away from the front runners but I’m really hoping he’ll mess up the Republicans. His talking points seem like Maga-speak repackaged onto a brand new mediocre, white man with a well-known last name. I’m hoping that he will make such a dent in Republican poll numbers that Biden charges fourth into an overwhelming victory.
Considering he was funded entirely by rat-snuggling right wingers looking to spoil it for Biden, it would be only fair if he peeled off exclusively Republican voters. And given that he speaks their specific language of crazy, it’s likely that’s what he’ll do.
I don’t know of any woman or pro choice person who looks at a forced birther like Bobby Kennedy Jr and wants to support that.
He looks like a character in a sci-fi/fantasy film, like a guy who has pledged himself to The Dark One in exchange for whatever his greedy self-centered self wants … but is now being corrupted, consumed from within.
Basically, the ick is dripping from his pores. And his wife is not far behind him … she might still be in the halted speech, performing-the-role-even-if-it’s-not-quite-comfortable stage of cognitive dissonance, but she’s clearly going all in for
(… she blanks … what was his name again?… system does auto hard reboot…loading Bios… loading OS… loading files…)
Bobby!
Their speech, their mannerisms, their misrepresentations would be right at home on The Five
Is there a Hellmouth somewhere these two and their minions can get sucked into?
His voice box is doing its best to strangle his candidacy.
It’ll be interesting to see what celebrities step up to back him. An easy way to know who’s not getting my dollars ever again.
The true problem is the press not writing about what’s really going on. The Republican backers, the anti-abortion stuff, the fact that he had zero support within the institutional Democratic Party – these things actually matter! It’s not just a horse race.
I am fairly certain all of his siblings have disavowed him as a Kennedy. But the name is the draw for a lot of dumb mfers so he will get votes.
RFK, Jr gives me the creeps. I hope voters feel the same about his disturbing views. He is yet another tool of big money/overseas interests paid to interfere with the presidential election and disrupt much-needed social, environmental and economic progress. Thank goodness his siblings are speaking out.
Yeah, Republicans did not plan on him running as an independent. That f’s them up a bit. He’ll still pull some Dem votes, but, clearly, his insane platform is more attractive to Trumpy voters who may feel nervous about a candidate under four indictments.
He used to have environmentalism bona fides. I remember when he was an activist against the bombing in Vieques, even serving jail time. It’s sad what he has devolved into. Obvious he is using HGH/steroids and if you have any doubts about him just look at how many of his siblings are speaking out against him.
He was also once an environmental lawyer who was very active in the protection of waterways.
That’s how I remember him.
It’s discouraging to see what he and his wife have become.
Yes, it’s very sad. I don’t know what happened to the guy I remember (not like I ever met him or anything but I recall him doing good work).
@North of Boston, he does look like villain!
I vaguely recall something about rivers that he was working on, doing good things. Who knows, maybe he was always like this. Isn’t he the one who treated his first wife abominably? Then cast her aside & even got an annulment from the Church?
We have to stay focused on getting Biden/Harris re-elected. We have to send out postcards, sign up for phonebank training and canvass. We have to fight as if our lives depend on it.
Because our lives do depend on it.
Speaking of … where is VP Harris?
I’m sure she’s out there doing stuff, but coverage of her is sorely lacking in the media outlets I’m frequently looking at.
I get the sense that a lot of real important and mostly positive stuff Biden’s doing only gets quick press mentions or gets drowned out entirely by the more “clickbait-y” stuff related to Hunter and polls and dog bites. It’s both Republicans constantly churning up ‘exciting’ garbage but also editorial decisions about what MSM and analysis, commentary sites decide to cover and promote.
Is the same thing happening to Harris?
I’ve actually been wondering about ALL the Dem POTUS candidates from the 2020 election cycle… they all have been out of the spotlight, been very quiet, except for a few particular events (like Warren questioning that nominee last week about his plans not to resign his private sector/conflict of interest gigs if appointed). Is the Dem political machine telling them to stay low to keep things clear for Biden?
If so, it feels like a mistake… they should be building broad momentum, interest for Democratic policies, accomplishments in general so Biden and the rest of the Democratic ticket can ride/leverage that going into 2024. Instead of a news vacuum in which the only voices heard are Biden and the clown show of extremist Republicans in Congress and Statehouses and, campaign appearances and SM and this dude.
I always find it curious when people ask this question about VP Harris. I don’t remember folks asking this when Biden was VP or Pence.
But Biden really was more visible than Harris. I have wondered about Harris too, I’d like to hear from her more often, I really like her.
Then make the effort to see what she’s doing. It’s a lot. Stop relying on the media – who clearly has biases to tell you. She has a whole website and Twitter account that shows what she does.
It’s a noticeable difference lately (last 6-12 months?) compared with coverage of Biden or Pence as VP or even at the start of her role as VP.
And the lack of her in the MSM is pretty much of the point of my post … she and what she’s doing not being featured very often even if she’s busy and making a difference and it’s covered on her website and SM.
At this point in the election cycle, it would IMO benefit the Democratic ticket, up and down the ballot, to have prominent Dems like VP Harris be more visible to all voters, getting stuff done. But instead either because of MSM decisions or possibly DNC decisions that doesn’t seem to be happening as much as I’d expect or that seemed to be happening previously with her and prior VP’s.
I know a few supposed liberal democrats who have bought into the whole antivax thing. They think this dope is amazing. 🙄
His stance on gun control may ultimately decide whether he pulls more would be dem or republican voters.
My 82 year old mother, lifelong single issue voter (pro-life), voted for Biden last election. But I could see her being swayed to vote for this charlatan.
Curious to know what RFK Jr’s own mother thinks of his running. She doesn’t seem to be out there, campaigning for him.
He’ll definitely take some votes away from Biden but he’ll take more votes away from the “I want to support Trump but not vote for him” like crowd of people who want to pretend their better than Trump except they whole heartedly support him. They just don’t want to be *seen* as supporting him.
He has crazy eyes.
Yes, he does. They’re evil, too.
I started laughing at this and then I remembered how hard I laughed when Trump came down the escalators.
Genuine question : why isn’t he running as a republican ? I know the purpose is to screw the entire process but he might have actually got some success with the republicans (I saw a poll saying he was very popular with them and not at all with the democrats).
Waiting on Caroline to throw down a cease and desist on her uncle. RFK campaign was rolling around Philly yesterday playing the 1960’s campaign song (the singing of the last name) and it did NOT go well!
Also, his campaign merch is using the same formatting, colors, and font as the Nazi Cheeto.
He has been denounced by members of the Kennedy family.
That’ll help him though with anti-establishment voters. The Kennedys are as ‘establishment’ as they come.
There will be people who vote from him that want to vote maga, but want to claim they voted for an independent because both sides are bad. Really, they just don’t want to be known as maga.
I started following his behavior when his estranged wife Mary hung herself in 2012 because of depression over his affair with Cheryl Hines. I read about his nasty behaviors towards women and have concluded he is a vile man, a misogynistic cheat and bully. No wonder his family doesn’t support him.
If he splits the Republican and/or leaning Republican votes then I’m OK.
MOFO is simply using his “platform” to take away votes from President Biden so the drumpf candidate will win. Maybe he’s getting a lot of rethug money for it–Kennedys have the name, but not so much the money anymore. RFK Jr. is a disgrace to his father’s name. For shame.
He literally has worked tirelessly for science and as an attorney holding the community accountable around safety standards. He clearly states. He is for vaccines but better safety standards. He is cleaning watersheds and lakes and rivers for decades. He wants better regulation around pesticides and endocrine distributors. You have literally nothing to cite of what he says and have an opposing view. I want a healthier world for my kids where the FDA and the CDC is not empaneled by profit. What is your problem with facts. You’re spreading sound bites of heresy.