US President Joe Biden secured the formal endorsement of several members of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s family on Thursday, tapping into the influential Democratic family’s legacy.
The broader Kennedy family had already disassociated with RFK Jr’s campaign as an Independent after he was denied a Democratic Party ticket. Now, the entire Kennedy family has moved away from Robert F Kennedy Jr’s campaign, signalling family unity against a third-party challenge.
Kerry Kennedy, one of six siblings of Robert F Kennedy Junior, was on stage at a Biden campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday where she endorsed his candidacy. “President Biden has been a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncle stood for,” Kerry Kennedy said.
Kerry Kennedy is the daughter of US attorney general Robert F Kennedy (RFK) and neice of former president John F Kennedy (JFK).
“That’s why nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden. That’s right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president,” she added, referring to JFK and RFK’s parents.
Biden called it “an incredible honor” to have the support of the Kennedys.
ROBERT F KENNEDY JUNIOR’S CAMPAIGN
The broader Kennedy family has mostly shunned RFK Jr’s campaign, calling it “dangerous,” even as the candidate himself looked to capitalize on his last name and family history. RFK Jr has been using his family name and history to his advantage in the election campaign.
Kennedys are a Democratic family but RFK Jr has behaved more like a Republican candidate and has been in news for his wild theories and controversial statements. It was in Philadelphia in October where RFK Jr launched his independent presidential bid.
Even a lesser-known third-party candidate like Kennedy could act as a spoiler, according to CNN. Such third-party candidates could impact fortunes of the two big candidates in swing states.
BIDEN THANKS KENNEDYS FOR THEIR SUPPORT
In Philadelphia on Thursday, Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr’s sister, in her speech introducing Biden, hailed the president as a champion of democratic values while cautioning against the dangers posed by Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump is running to take us backwards, attacking the most basic rights and freedoms that are core to who we are as Americans. He has said he will be a dictator on day one, even saying he wants to try to suspend the Constitution,” said Kerry Kennedy, reported CNN.
After Kerry Kennedy spoke, Biden expressed gratitude and recognised the importance of the Kennedy family’s backing. He mentioned that Robert F Kennedy Sr influenced his choice to serve the public.
DIVIDED IN POLITICS, UNITED IN LOVE, SAYS RFK Jr
Ahead of Biden’s speech, Robert F Kennedy Junior said in a social media post on Thursday that he hopes his family’s political disagreements can be a model for Americans to “restore civility and respect to public discourse,” adding that he believes his family is “united in our love for each other”.
“I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active – it’s a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other. I hold this as a possibility for America too. Can we disagree without hating our opponents? Can we restore civility and respect to public discourse? I think we can,” Kennedy wrote.
The endorsement of RFK Jr family comes amid concerns that RFK Jr’s candidacy could syphon votes from Biden and aid Trump’s re-election. Rory Kennedy, another sister of RFK Jr, has openly expressed apprehension about the potential impact on the election outcome.
“I feel strongly that this is the most important election of our lifetime and there’s so much at stake. And I do think it’s gonna come down to a handful of votes in a handful of states, and I do worry that Bobby just taking some percentage of votes from Biden could shift the election and lead to Trump’s election,” Rory was quoted as saying by CNN.
RFK Jr, however, downplayed any rift within the family, emphasising the diversity of opinions among its members.
“I have a big family, about 105 cousins on the last time we counted. I have a big family. I don’t know anybody in America who’s got a family who agrees with him on everything,” RFK Jr told CNN’s Erin Burnett earlier this month.