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“Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abandoned his campaign on Friday and endorsed Republican Donald Trump, ending a run that he began as a Democrat trading on one of the most famous names in American politics.” Reuters
The left is critical of Kennedy’s endorsement, and skeptical that it will significantly benefit Trump’s candidacy.
“The Washington Post reported [two weeks ago] that Kennedy’s team had made overtures to the Harris campaign to discuss the possibility of his serving as a member of her Cabinet… Kennedy’s team had already entertained talks with the Trump campaign about a similar deal [in July]—despite the fact that Kennedy had told one person in a text message that Trump is ‘a terrible human being. The worse president ever and barely human. He is probably a sociopath.’…
“Kennedy’s mercenary quest to extract value from his withdrawal has been a fascinating subplot in this Presidential race… It’s perhaps unwise for Kennedy to trust Trump to follow through on a quid pro quo, however…
“In January, 2017, Kennedy met with Trump, who was then President-elect, in Trump Tower, and, after the sit-down, told reporters that Trump had asked him to chair a commission on vaccine safety. The Trump campaign soon told the press that no such promise had been made.”
Clare Malone, New Yorker
“The independent’s reasons for doing this are clear… What Trump has to gain from vocally accepting the endorsement and appearing with Kennedy is less obvious. RFK’s campaign has been driven by suspicion of the COVID vaccines, which Trump (because he allocated the funding that helped develop them) actually likes to claim as one of his signature accomplishments…
“Democrats are doing as much as possible to look like the less ‘weird,’ more mainstream option in this election, and allying with someone who recently said he doesn’t ‘take sides’ on the issue of 9/11 is not going to help persuade anyone that the Trump ticket is the normal one. The more Kennedy campaigned in this election—the more voters got to know him—the worse his polling got.”
Ben Mathis-Lilley, Slate
“The most recent national survey, by RMG Research, put [Kennedy] at three percent of the vote. And it is not at all clear how many of his remaining supporters will follow him over the brink into MAGA-land, which some correctly perceive as a place where environmentalists and those who fret about military spending… and childhood health are often treated as hippies and suspected Marxists.”
Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine
Some argue, “It may seem like the advantage Trump gains when Kennedy is out of the picture is relatively small. But Biden won in 2020 by exceedingly narrow margins in six key battleground states; in Arizona, it was by less than 11,000 votes… if the race is as close as it was in 2020, Trump gaining even a fraction of a percent from Kennedy could make the difference.”
Nicole Narea, Vox
The right is cautiously optimistic about Kennedy’s endorsement, but cautions against embracing some of his ideas.
The right is cautiously optimistic about Kennedy’s endorsement, but cautions against embracing some of his ideas.
“Having initially sought the nomination of the Democratic Party, Kennedy was blocked at every turn by President Joe Biden's supporters in the DNC. They wouldn't allow debates, wouldn't allow a full contest for the party's nomination. Even though Biden was mentally and physically a shell of the man he'd once been, the DNC protected Biden, arguing anyone sharing videos of his clear mental and physical deterioration was participating in ‘cheap fakes.’…
“So too did their allies in the left-wing media. Remember, it was only 60 days ago that CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other left-wing media allies attacked anyone who dared to suggest Biden was anything other than sharp as a tack behind closed doors. Kennedy lambasted this in his address Friday afternoon endorsing Trump for president.”
Clay Travis, Fox News
“RFK Jr. attacked the Democratic Party as not being the party of his father and uncle, decrying the efforts to stifle dissent and keep him off ballots. He also lashed out at the media for being not much more than stenographers for Democrats. So with the endorsement, he is essentially validating Trump’s arguments about the ‘rigged’ system to a different constituency…
“On the other hand, embracing RFK Jr. carries its risks, as it will enable Democrats to tie Trump to a lot of RFK Jr.’s outlandish ideas. I believe that early on, the RFK Jr. factor was being overstated as he had impressive poll numbers that had some analysts speculating he might even be able to beat President Biden in New Hampshire. That was silly, but it would be a mistake now to overcorrect and underestimate RFK Jr.’s potential to influence the outcome of a close race.”
Philip Klein, National Review
“Mr. Kennedy also said Mr. Trump plans to ‘enlist’ him in government if he wins in November, and that’s the potential rub. RFK Jr. hits some populist notes that Mr. Trump also supports, such as opposition to tech platform censorship and skepticism about the Ukraine war. But the former Democrat lives in the fever swamps with his anti-vaccination views, his support for an extreme climate agenda, and his belief that American health ills are largely the result of collusion between big business and government regulators…
“He’s also the guy who admitted recently to dumping a dead bear in New York’s Central Park. If RFK Jr. is anywhere near the healthcare or environmental agencies in a Trump Administration, look out. Mr. Trump’s best response is to thank RFK Jr. for his support, make no promises about the future, and by all means avoid joint campaign appearances.”
Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal
