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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential campaign

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President 2024
Campaign2024 Democratic presidential primaries
CandidateRobert F. Kennedy Jr.
AffiliationDemocratic Party
StatusActive
AnnouncedApril 19, 2023
Key peopleDennis Kucinich (campaign manager)[1]
John E. Sullivan (treasurer)[2]
Website
www.kennedy24.com

The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presidential campaign was formally launched on April 19, 2023, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the Kennedy family, environmental lawyer,[3] anti-vaccine activist, and author announced his candidacy in Boston, Massachusetts. He is challenging incumbent Democratic president Joe Biden.

Background

Kennedy is a member of the Kennedy family, four of whom have previously run for the United States presidency.[2][4][5] His uncle John F. Kennedy was elected president as a Democrat in 1960 after a successful presidential campaign. In subsequent decades, several other family members sought the Democratic Party presidential nomination, but have failed to be nominated. His father and namesake, Robert F. Kennedy, ran a leading campaign for the nomination in 1968 but he was assassinated before the party's nominating convention. His uncle-by-marriage Sargent Shriver ran for the nomination in 1976, but later withdrew from the race.[a] His uncle Ted Kennedy ran a campaign for the nomination in 1980, but was later defeated in the primaries by then-incumbent Democratic president Jimmy Carter.

Kennedy is active in the anti-vaccine movement.[6][7] Before announcing his bid for the presidency, he compared President Biden's COVID-19 vaccination policies to the Holocaust at rally in Washington, DC.[8] He asserted that Anne Frank and Jews in Nazi Germany had more freedom than American citizens amid vaccine mandates in churches and schools, and business closures.[9] He later apologized for his Nazi analogy.[8]

Campaign

On March 3, 2023, in a speech at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Kennedy stated that he was considering a run for president in 2024.[10] YouTube later took down a video of the speech, citing medical misinformation.[11]

Announcement and launch

On April 5, 2023, Kennedy filed his candidacy.[6] He formally declared his candidacy at a campaign launch event at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston on April 19, 2023.[12][13] He chose Boston for his launch because of his family's deep political roots in the city,[7][14] and referenced in his speech that he graduated from both high school and college in Massachusetts.[15][16] He said that his priority would be "to end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threatening now to impose a new kind of corporate feudalism in our country".[12]

Public reception

Early supporters of Kennedy's campaign include Salon.com founder David Talbot,[17] former Bernie Sanders campaign press secretary Briahna Joy Gray,[18] journalist Max Blumenthal,[19] author Charles Eisenstein,[20] and comedian Russel Brand.[21]

Support from right-wing figures

CBS News reported that former Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon "had been encouraging Kennedy to run for months", believing he could serve as a "useful chaos agent" and promote opposition to vaccines[22] (Kennedy has denied any involvement with Bannon).[23][better source needed] Other alt-right personalities who have encouraged his campaign include Alex Jones, Roger Stone, and Mike Flynn. Some of them have speculated that Kennedy could become Trump's 2024 running mate as part of a unity ticket if he loses the Democratic primary.[24][25][26] Conservative commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has also praised the campaign.[27] After Carlson was fired from the network, Kennedy defended him as "breathtakingly courageous" and blamed his termination on the pharmaceutical industry.[28]

Kennedy family reaction

Several family members have opposed Kennedy's candidacy due to his anti-vaccine views, and have publicly announced their support for Joe Biden's reelection bid.[29][30] His sister Kerry Kennedy told Business Insider, "I love my brother Bobby, but I do not share or endorse his opinions on many issues, including the COVID pandemic, vaccinations and the role of social media platforms in policing false information".[31] Other siblings, such as Patrick J. Kennedy and Rory Kennedy, have also endorsed Biden.[32]

Political positions

Kennedy's campaign website lists his priorities in six sections: honest government, reconciliation, environment, revitalization, peace, and civil liberties.[33]

Notes

  1. ^ Shriver was also the last-minute Democratic nominee for vice president in 1972, replacing Thomas Eagleton.

References

  1. ^ https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1654539106972729351
  2. ^ a b Bradner, Eric; Wright, David (April 5, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. files paperwork to run for president as a Democrat". CNN. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (April 17, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Soon to Announce White House Run, Sows Doubts About Vaccines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  4. ^ Kelly Garrity (April 5, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running for president in 2024". Politico. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "Statement of Candidacy". docquery.fec.gov. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Price, Michelle (April 5, 2023). "Anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. challenging Biden in 2024". Associated Press.
  7. ^ a b Bradner, Eric (April 19, 2023). "Anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches 2024 presidential bid". CNN.
  8. ^ a b "Robert Kennedy Jr apologizes for Holocaust remarks at anti-vaxxer rally". Reuters. January 25, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  9. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (April 17, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Soon to Announce White House Run, Sows Doubts About Vaccines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Browning, Oliver (April 19, 2023). "Watch live as Robert F Kennedy Jr expected to announce presidential run". The Independent.
  11. ^ Porter, Steven; March 10, Updated. "Will fringe Democrats dominate NH primary? A visit by RFK Jr. points to uncertain times ahead – The Boston Globe". Boston Globe.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ a b "Anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. launches presidential campaign". Associated Press News. April 19, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to formally announce 2024 run for president in Boston". CBS News. Associated Press. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023.
  14. ^ Gabriel, Trip (April 19, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Makes His White House Run Official". The New York Times. The New York Times.
  15. ^ Kashinsky, Lisa (April 19, 2023). "The Kennedy campaign the Kennedys don't want to see". Politico.
  16. ^ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announces 2024 Presidential Bid, the presidential announcement speech, Youtube-Chanel NowThis News, April 19, 2023
  17. ^ "My Thoughts About RFK Jr". April 23, 2023.
  18. ^ "Briahna Joy Gray: Media, Dems LAUGH OFF RFK Jr at Their Own Peril". YouTube. April 13, 2023.
  19. ^ "RFK Jr. Throws down the gauntlet". YouTube. April 25, 2023.
  20. ^ "A Major Life Change". May 15, 2023.
  21. ^ "Russell & RFK Jr | FAUCI, CIA Secrets & Running for President - #128 - Stay Free with Russell Brand". May 12, 2023.
  22. ^ "Anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenging Biden for presidency in 2024". CBS News. April 5, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Robert F. Kennedy Jr [@RobertKennedyJr] (April 8, 2023). "Is it a sign of my campaign's strength that the Elite of DC's establishment media simultaneously and shamelessly published an orchestrated and baseless lie to smear me, even before I announce my presidential campaign? CBS News's Bob Costa, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Vanity Fair, and Salon are circulating fake news that the American people have come to expect and despise. Steve Bannon has nothing to do with my presidential campaign. I have never discussed a presidential run with Mr. Bannon. Journalism should be about "investigate and report" not "invent and report."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. ^ Seitz-Wald, Alex (April 28, 2023). "Why Steve Bannon and Alex Jones love Robert F. Kennedy Jr". NBC News. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Gilbert, David (April 17, 2023). "The Far Right Really Wants Trump to Pick America's Top Anti-Vaxxer As His VP". Vice News. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  26. ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (April 20, 2023). "Why Biden's orbit isn't worried about Robert F. Kennedy's 2024 campaign | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  27. ^ Dicker, Ron (April 20, 2023). "Tucker Carlson Embraces Anti-Vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Campaign For President". HuffPost.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Virginia Chamlee (April 24, 2023). "Democrat RFK Jr. Says Tucker Carlson Is 'Breathtakingly Courageous' in Wake of Fox News Departure". People. Retrieved May 13, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ Kim, Chloe (April 5, 2023). "Robert F Kennedy Jr to challenge Biden for White House". BBC News. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  30. ^ Kashinsky, Lisa (April 19, 2023). "The Kennedy campaign the Kennedys don't want to see". Politico. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  31. ^ Shoaib, Alia (April 22, 2023). "Members of the Kennedy dynasty explain why they will not support anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential bid against Biden". Business Insider. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  32. ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (April 16, 2023). "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can't count on family support to take on Biden". CNN.
  33. ^ "Our Priorities".
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