Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday in Philadelphia that he is dropping his bid for the 2024 Democratic nomination. Instead, he will pursue the White House as an independent candidate, something four of his siblings found deeply disturbing.
Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy II, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend issued a joining statement after their brother’s announcement.
The four-sided with incumbent Joe Biden, who many in the party are desperate to rid themselves of, and against their brother.
The statement called RFK Jr.’s independent candidacy “dangerous to our country.” They declared he does not “share the same values, vision or judgment” as his namesake, and called his run “deeply saddening.”
They ended the diatribe with a statement that will not soon be forgotten at family gatherings. “We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.”
RFK Jr. going independent sure did piss off his leftist family 🤣
Going Independent is the right thing for him to do https://t.co/9O3te3Q3NB
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) October 9, 2023
RFK Jr. is an environmental lawyer and an activist who dared to openly question the establishment’s stance on vaccines. His opposition to blind acceptance of COVID-19 jabs put him at odds with most Democrats, and apparently his own clan.
He announced his run for the Democratic nomination with the goal of being a unifier. Kennedy declared he is a voice for people who are tired of political fighting in the country and called partisanship a stumbling block for democracy.
Speaking at the National Constitution Center Monday, Kennedy told supporters that the country is ready for a change.
He noted, “People stop me everywhere, in airports and hotels and on the street. And they remind me that this country is ready for a history-making change — I’m here today…to declare myself an independent candidate.”
A super PAC supporting Kennedy, American Values 2024, has brought in $17 million to propel his candidacy forward. Co-founder Tony Lyons told Reuters in Philadelphia Monday that $7 million more has come in just since July, and he expects another $10 million after the announcement.
Political strategists believe he could rip support away from Biden, who already trails challenger and former President Donald Trump in numerous polls. A third-party candidate has yet to win the U.S. presidency, though many times they have influenced the outcome of an election.
