Democratic-turned-independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (son of the late Senator RFK and nephew of President John F. Kennedy) is responding to accusations from both Democrats and Republicans that he’s a spoiler in this year’s election.
When asked if he really believes that President Joe Biden is as great as a threat to democracy than former President Donald Trump, Kennedy replied: “I can make the argument that President Biden is a much worse threat to democracy, and the reason for that is that President Biden is the first president history that has used the federal agencies to censor political speech.”
Kennedy floated an accusation often levied by Trump — saying that Biden is “weaponizing” federal agencies against his political opponents.
[NOTE: Trump’s own Attorney General Bill Barr has appeared to contradict this version of the DOJ’s pursuit of Trump, saying as recently as last year: “As the indictment says, they are not attacking [Trump’s] First Amendment right. He can say whatever he wants, he can even lie. He can even tell people that the election was stolen when he knew better…But that does not protect you from entering into a conspiracy.”]
Kennedy’s lingering censorship ire stems from his being banned from the privately held social media platforms Instagram and Facebook in early 2021, soon after Biden took office. Kennedy insinuates a heavy governmental hand behind his ban, though a spokesperson for Facebook (now Meta, which also owns Instagram) explained that Kennedy’s accounts were removed “for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines.”
This guy is outta his damn mind.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) April 2, 2024
CNN: “When people talk about the threat to democracy that Trump poses, do you really think that is equal to Biden?”
RFK JR: “Biden is much worse threat to democracy.. President Biden is the first president history that has used the federal… pic.twitter.com/CPMusck2Ep
Tennessee Election Commissioner Chris D. Jackson (Lawrence County) responded to Kennedy’s assessment that Biden is a greater threat to democracy than Trump by writing: “This guy is outta his damn mind.”
Jackson is also warning voters who are “turning to RFK Jr. as an alternative to Biden on Gaza” by circulating another interview with RFK Jr. In December 2023, Kennedy said: “The Palestinian people are arguably the most pampered people by international aid organizations in the history of the world.”
Whoa!
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) April 1, 2024
Show this to folks who are turning to RFK Jr as an alternative to Biden on Gaza — they clearly haven’t been paying attention.
“The Palestinian people are arguably the most pampered people by international aid organizations in the history of the world.” @RobertKennedyJr pic.twitter.com/6XtwjXWTVk
When told 78 percent of the people in Gaza have said they don’t have enough food to eat, Kennedy replied: “It is not Israel’s fault that Gaza is poverty-stricken. Gaza should be one of the wealthiest states on the Mediterranean.”
Note: Jackson has also served two separate stints as chairman of the Democratic Party. In 2020, the Joe Biden for President campaign appointed Jackson to the DNC Platform Committee. He has become widely recognized as one of the most effective digital advocates of President Joe Biden and his administration.