Bobby Kennedy is out of money and stopped holding campaign events more than a month ago. His vice president candidate Nicole Shanahan has not campaigned for even months more, and seems unlikely to give him any more money. His polling numbers have dropped steadily.
For all the impact Bobby Kennedy will make he might as well not have run at all. He tarnished his reputation more than he burnished it. Unless he can make a deal with Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, so that's why he is sending out feelers to them.
The New York court's decision to reject his nominating petition is likely to stand. When Bobby Kennedy circulated his petition to get the required signatures in New York, he listed the address of a friend’s home in New York as his “place of residence”. He didn't have to list a New York address, but chose to.
The judge ruled that listing that address as his place of residence was a false statement, and that it possibly deceived those who signed the petition into thinking he lived in New York rather than California. The judge invalidated the nominating petition due to the fact that it contained a false statement -- where Bobby Kennedy actually resides was not the problem. The false statement was.
VP Harris’s Democratic Party would be unrecognizable to my father and uncle and I cannot reconcile it with my values. The Democratic Party of RFK and JFK was the party of civil liberties and free speech. VP Harris‘s is the party of censorship, lockdowns, and medical coercion.
Kennedy Democrats were anti-war. Kamala‘s is riddled with neocon warmongers.
The RFK/JFK dems were allies of Main Street, cops, firefighters, and working people. VP Harris’s is the Party of Big Tech, Big Pharma and Wall Street.
My dad and uncle’s party was the champion of voting rights and fair elections. VP Harris’s is the party of lawfare, disenfranchisement, and the coronation of its candidates by corporate donors and party elites.
You may be right on this one, Peter. But yet there is something i just don't trust about Kennedy and I can't put a finger on any certain specifics. However. didn't he also have a meeting with Trump about a month ago possibly looking for a position in his cabinet as well. This I would think would go against his vax stance as well, since Trump has never admitted that warp speed was bad or harmful, If he truly believes he is an alternative, he should stick to his guns, otherwise he is just another politician playing the game for the "dog and pony" show!!!
Political maneuvering and potential opportunism are always interesting topics, especially when the rumors involve high-profile figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kamala Harris.
You make some valid points here, pointing out Kennedy’s longstanding Democratic views and his estrangement from the party. With the emergence of these claims by The Washington Post, it's important to scrutinize these narratives and view them with healthy skepticism, as there may be more to the story than meets the eye.
I think this also shows how bleak the journalistic landscape is as it has become an extension of the Democratic arm (except for Fox which is an extension of the GOP arm)...I wonder if the newspapers back in the 40s-60s were also completely biased or if they gave fair honest reporting of facts on all candidates during elections? I wish we had unbiased reporting outside of Substack which doesn't reach the people in my sphere...thanks for what you do Mr. Kust.
Neither Ed Murrow nor Walter Cronkite were paragons of objective reporting.
Nor should we forget William Randolph Hearst's role in instigating the Spanish American War.
Yellow Journalism has been a feature of the American press since before the founding of the Republic.
What Murrow and Cronkite had, however, was an appreciation for the profession of journalism. It wasn't enough to cover a story, they had to represent the media itself well
We've lost that in the modern era. Even the New York Times no longer respects the "Rosenthal Rule" (named for Abe Rosenthal, managing editor and then executive editor of the New York Times from 1969-1986): "you can f*ck an elephant if you want to but if you do, you can't cover the circus."
Too much of the modern corporate media are graceless, artless, feckless overgrown adolescents who are more focused on getting a sound bite to post on social media than answers to important questions. There are a few (Catherine Herridge and Peter Doocy come to mind), but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Frankly, I'm no journalist. I'm somewhere between an historian, an economist, and a wandering seeker after metaphysical truth. I'm more analyst than I am investigator, more researcher than reporter. I just aspire to present my craft honestly and well.
Even tho Kennedy apparently cannot win, I'd guess a vote for him strengthens his chance of a significant post within the administration of whichever uniparty candidate gets selected.
That's a fascinating perspective! 🤔 While it might be a long shot for Kennedy to win, supporting him could indeed send a powerful message to the “uniparty” establishment. By showing that there is a segment of the population that rejects the bipartisan status quo, you might indeed influence their policies and staffing decisions.
The current political climate is ripe for upheaval, and your vote for Kennedy could be seen as a symbolic protest against the two-party system.
Symbolic protest, maybe, but I'm thinking that either candidate, or their handlers, would observe that they could solidify support by including RFKJ in their administration. Which might actually be true, altho it's still a uniparty.
You're right that incorporating RFK Jr. into their administrations could indeed be a smart political move for either candidate. It sends a message to the electorate that they are open to fresh perspectives, all while potentially drawing support from Kennedy's loyalists.
In this scenario, it would be interesting to see how RFK Jr. would leverage his position. Would he prioritize implementing his policies from within the system, or would he use the platform to continue challenging the uniparty and advocating for his vision?
Poor Bobby. The System was never going to allow him to win. He should have taken an offer from Trump. Instead, he is haggling with Harris, and thus destroying his credibility. (IF the WaPo article is correct, and they have zero credibility themselves!)
“If you try to please all, you please none." - Aesop
Oh, the complexities of navigating the political minefield! 😬 As Bobby Kennedy Jr. can attest, balancing principles with pragmatism in the face of power structures can be treacherous.
If the claims in the Washington Post article are true, it seems like he may have tried to straddle the line between the parties to maximize influence, only to end up alienating both sides and tarnishing his reputation.
Bobby Kennedy is out of money and stopped holding campaign events more than a month ago. His vice president candidate Nicole Shanahan has not campaigned for even months more, and seems unlikely to give him any more money. His polling numbers have dropped steadily.
For all the impact Bobby Kennedy will make he might as well not have run at all. He tarnished his reputation more than he burnished it. Unless he can make a deal with Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, so that's why he is sending out feelers to them.
The New York court's decision to reject his nominating petition is likely to stand. When Bobby Kennedy circulated his petition to get the required signatures in New York, he listed the address of a friend’s home in New York as his “place of residence”. He didn't have to list a New York address, but chose to.
The judge ruled that listing that address as his place of residence was a false statement, and that it possibly deceived those who signed the petition into thinking he lived in New York rather than California. The judge invalidated the nominating petition due to the fact that it contained a false statement -- where Bobby Kennedy actually resides was not the problem. The false statement was.
RFK Jr. the Elite including the WAPO are liars.
VP Harris’s Democratic Party would be unrecognizable to my father and uncle and I cannot reconcile it with my values. The Democratic Party of RFK and JFK was the party of civil liberties and free speech. VP Harris‘s is the party of censorship, lockdowns, and medical coercion.
Kennedy Democrats were anti-war. Kamala‘s is riddled with neocon warmongers.
The RFK/JFK dems were allies of Main Street, cops, firefighters, and working people. VP Harris’s is the Party of Big Tech, Big Pharma and Wall Street.
My dad and uncle’s party was the champion of voting rights and fair elections. VP Harris’s is the party of lawfare, disenfranchisement, and the coronation of its candidates by corporate donors and party elites.
Kennedy's refutation came out after I'd written the article.
Timing happens!
But you are correct Kennedy refutes the WaPo reporting absolutely.
Absolutely understand. Felt the same.
You may be right on this one, Peter. But yet there is something i just don't trust about Kennedy and I can't put a finger on any certain specifics. However. didn't he also have a meeting with Trump about a month ago possibly looking for a position in his cabinet as well. This I would think would go against his vax stance as well, since Trump has never admitted that warp speed was bad or harmful, If he truly believes he is an alternative, he should stick to his guns, otherwise he is just another politician playing the game for the "dog and pony" show!!!
I don't trust any politician and frankly that includes Donald Trump.
After the 2020 Pandemic Panic Donald Trump has no right to exepct anyone to trust him.
I don't trust Donald Trump, I just distrust him the least.
I completely agree with your analysis that he’s trying to straddle both parties and it’s not working. I’ve never trusted him.
My opinion is that if Trump did offer him some sort of position, he’d definitely
be one to stab Trump in the back.
I think Trump is going to be much more cautious about who he can trust this time around.
And having both his sons working closely with him is going to be a big plus to vet his advisors.
Kennedy is definitely not a natural Trump ally.
On the other hand, I think Kennedy might be the sort of influence needed to shake up HHS.
It also appears that Kennedy has walked back talking to Harris.; Robert Kennedy Jr Today Denies what Robert Kennedy Jr said Yesterday - Sundance
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/08/15/robert-kennedy-jr-today-denies-what-robert-kennedy-jr-said-yesterday/
Political maneuvering and potential opportunism are always interesting topics, especially when the rumors involve high-profile figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kamala Harris.
You make some valid points here, pointing out Kennedy’s longstanding Democratic views and his estrangement from the party. With the emergence of these claims by The Washington Post, it's important to scrutinize these narratives and view them with healthy skepticism, as there may be more to the story than meets the eye.
I think this also shows how bleak the journalistic landscape is as it has become an extension of the Democratic arm (except for Fox which is an extension of the GOP arm)...I wonder if the newspapers back in the 40s-60s were also completely biased or if they gave fair honest reporting of facts on all candidates during elections? I wish we had unbiased reporting outside of Substack which doesn't reach the people in my sphere...thanks for what you do Mr. Kust.
Thank you for your kind words.
Neither Ed Murrow nor Walter Cronkite were paragons of objective reporting.
Nor should we forget William Randolph Hearst's role in instigating the Spanish American War.
Yellow Journalism has been a feature of the American press since before the founding of the Republic.
What Murrow and Cronkite had, however, was an appreciation for the profession of journalism. It wasn't enough to cover a story, they had to represent the media itself well
We've lost that in the modern era. Even the New York Times no longer respects the "Rosenthal Rule" (named for Abe Rosenthal, managing editor and then executive editor of the New York Times from 1969-1986): "you can f*ck an elephant if you want to but if you do, you can't cover the circus."
Too much of the modern corporate media are graceless, artless, feckless overgrown adolescents who are more focused on getting a sound bite to post on social media than answers to important questions. There are a few (Catherine Herridge and Peter Doocy come to mind), but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Frankly, I'm no journalist. I'm somewhere between an historian, an economist, and a wandering seeker after metaphysical truth. I'm more analyst than I am investigator, more researcher than reporter. I just aspire to present my craft honestly and well.
Even tho Kennedy apparently cannot win, I'd guess a vote for him strengthens his chance of a significant post within the administration of whichever uniparty candidate gets selected.
That's a fascinating perspective! 🤔 While it might be a long shot for Kennedy to win, supporting him could indeed send a powerful message to the “uniparty” establishment. By showing that there is a segment of the population that rejects the bipartisan status quo, you might indeed influence their policies and staffing decisions.
The current political climate is ripe for upheaval, and your vote for Kennedy could be seen as a symbolic protest against the two-party system.
Symbolic protest, maybe, but I'm thinking that either candidate, or their handlers, would observe that they could solidify support by including RFKJ in their administration. Which might actually be true, altho it's still a uniparty.
You're right that incorporating RFK Jr. into their administrations could indeed be a smart political move for either candidate. It sends a message to the electorate that they are open to fresh perspectives, all while potentially drawing support from Kennedy's loyalists.
In this scenario, it would be interesting to see how RFK Jr. would leverage his position. Would he prioritize implementing his policies from within the system, or would he use the platform to continue challenging the uniparty and advocating for his vision?
Poor Bobby. The System was never going to allow him to win. He should have taken an offer from Trump. Instead, he is haggling with Harris, and thus destroying his credibility. (IF the WaPo article is correct, and they have zero credibility themselves!)
“If you try to please all, you please none." - Aesop
Oh, the complexities of navigating the political minefield! 😬 As Bobby Kennedy Jr. can attest, balancing principles with pragmatism in the face of power structures can be treacherous.
If the claims in the Washington Post article are true, it seems like he may have tried to straddle the line between the parties to maximize influence, only to end up alienating both sides and tarnishing his reputation.