Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of the late U.S. attorney general and senator Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of the late president John F. Kennedy, initially ran for the Democratic Party presidential nomination against incumbent Joe Biden.
Unable to make a significant impact in Democrat circles, despite his famous name being synonymous with the party, Kennedy switched and became an independent candidate in October. The scion of the most famous name in American politics announced on Friday that he has now suspended his presidential run as an independent and endorsed GOP nominee Donald Trump.
Note: Kennedy’s famously Democratic family had publicly decried his campaign and endorsed President Joe Biden and, when Biden withdrew, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kennedy, whose Instagram account was deleted in 2021 “for repeatedly sharing debunked claims” about COVID-19 vaccines, is being celebrated on X by MAGA loyalists including U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who has also been accused of repeatedly promoting misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.
They unleashed RFK
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 24, 2024
And RFK is about to let them have it https://t.co/PK2ZkzjXjz
After RFK Jr. announced his endorsement of Trump, Sen. Lee promoted a post by alt-right political pundit Jack Posobiec, which reads: “RFK is declaring war on the regime that took away his father and his uncle. They have no idea what they have done.”
Note: The people who “took away” Kennedy’s father and uncle were assassins Sirhan Sirhan and Lee Harvey Oswald but despite forensics and investigative reports, both political assassinations have led to numerous conspiracy theories including one that the CIA was involved.
Lee shared Posobiec’s post and added: “They unleashed RFK And RFK is about to let them have it.”
Political scientists including Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, say the Democratic party doesn’t have to worry about the end of the Kennedy campaign or his endorsement of Trump.
Sabato said: “I doubt it will yield many votes for Trump,” and joked, “The bear cub, if still living and able to endorse, would have more of an impact.” (Kennedy recently admitted to once dumping a dead bear cub in New York City’s Central Park.)
Former senior advisor to President Biden Moe Vela agreed that Kennedy’s endorsement will have little impact, saying “I think he will destroy any credibility he has left – which isn’t much. His integrity will be completely tarnished and not to mention the fact that it will be a horrible disgrace to the Kennedy family and everything they have contributed to our nation and our democracy.”
