White House Beckons A Kennedy Again
By Maria Fotopoulos
Even a Kennedy from a long-term Democrat Dynasty has come to terms with the demise of the Democrat party. No Camelot, it’s a party unrecognizable from earlier times. Robert Kennedy Jr., who was running for the 2024 presidency as a Democrat, announced Monday, Oct. 9, to a large crowd in Philadelphia that he will continue his run, but as an independent. He intends to “wrest power from both parties and return power to the people” with a populist movement that cuts through left/right division.
This is a wise decision by Kennedy. Although some may see his exit from the party as slow in coming, no one can begrudge Kennedy the time to process his former party’s abhorrent treatment of him. Coming to terms with the reality of the moral collapse of the Democrat party that his family had been so closely connected to for 140 years surely requires processing. This was the party of his father, who might have been the 37th president of the United States, had he not been assassinated, and the party of his uncles, President John F. Kennedy, also assassinated, and Sen. Ted Kennedy.
One of the legacies of Robert F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy was a sense of unfulfilled promise and hope. What RFK’s son most definitely conveys in his campaign is hope – not the faux hope of Barack Obama’s “Hope,” but real hope to bridge the tremendous chasm in America and heal.
In watching many of the long-form interviews Robert Kennedy Jr. has given in recent months, he is grounded and centered. This may be the basis of his skill in addressing issues without attacking others. Given the frequency with which we hear Joe Biden attack those not bowing to party narratives, it’s a welcome change to hear Kennedy engage calmly, respectfully and with common sense. As well, like when listening to Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, there’s no disputing how smart Kennedy is. He peppers his responses with historical details that show a wide knowledge base, and he has many relatable lessons learned as a scion. Add on a very active and long career as an environmental lawyer committed to the protection of waterways and the rights of indigenous people, as a writer and as the founder of Children’s Health Defense and the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Kennedy has a commanding presence.
To a rational, thinking person, Kennedy would seem The Choice to be the Democrat nominee for the White House, similar to 2020, when Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard ran for the Democrat nomination. Of the long, weak list of Democrats running in 2020, Gabbard was also calm and respectful. Sharp as a tack, she exuded the most presence, composure and command, and she spoke common sense. Two strong Democrat candidates for the presidency in two different elections have been sidelined and maligned by their own party. Instead, the Democrat party’s new standard is to look for the least competent.
Not only did Kennedy’s party abandon him – Biden would not even provide Secret Service protection for this candidate – members of his family have been ugly. Apparently not the recipient of the brains in the family, sister Kerry Kennedy tweeted on the morning her brother announced his independence:
Perhaps the fortunes of the Robert F. Kennedy siblings are so closely connected to The Borg that is today’s Democrat party that they had to toe the line for “the party.” Stay with us, comrades.
“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything” might have been a better path for the siblings to take. With a family like that …
Of course, being family, they may know more. Kennedy has not been without his failings, including drug and sex addictions. We used to be more forgiving and open to redemption, but now all failings are used as weapons. Look for an increase in attacks on Kennedy’s personal failings as his popularity mounts. For those who commit to his candidacy, hopefully his demons are well at bay now at age 70, and he won’t disappoint followers.
Heading into the 2024 presidential election, anyone concerned about the direction of our country who is voting should listen to any of Kennedy’s long-form interviews with Tucker Carlson, The Joe Rogan Experience, Elex Michaelson, Russell Brand or others, and top it off with the Philadelphia speech. I considered recapping the Philly announcement, but decided it’s most impactful to listen to it in its entirety.
While media has downplayed the momentum of Kennedy – not surprising given the number of corporate media that act as the PR arm of the Democrat party – it’s clear there’s growing enthusiasm for Kennedy who is inspiring those beaten down by eight years of pronounced polarization in America. Kennedy believes, “The people are ready to take back power.”
It’s always interesting to read the comments after video, and Kennedy’s Philly speech is no exception. People are encouraged by Kennedy and see possibility of shifting the current trajectory of ever-growing rancor, division and ugliness in the country, which would be a significant achievement in our current environment. In one interview, Kennedy was asked what leadership lesson he’d learned from family. Kennedy responded that his dad wanted his children to understand that the path to happiness is through service to others. Kennedy is committed to service, and this is one reason people are drawn to his campaign.
As well, from his uncle and former U.S. President JFK he learned: “The primary job of a president of the United States is to keep our country out of war.” Kennedy in his Philly announcement said, “Peace and diplomacy first.” This is essential for the 2024 election, as current U.S. leaders – after dumping more than $124,000,000,000 into the Ukraine war – want more money for the proxy war and undoubtedly will start asking for more money for Israel (on top of that country’s annual $3 billion they receive from the U.S.). A Biden official said the U.S. can address the needs of the Ukraine, Israel and – should China make a move – Taiwan. Big talk for a country with $34 trillion in debt.
America cannot stand four more years of the tyranny and totalitarian rule of this corrupted, broken iteration of the Democrat party that is completely disassociated from its name, headed by a mentally incapacitated puppet. The power in Robert Kennedy Jr.’s run for the U.S. presidency can be assessed in a number of ways. On a numbers level, 63 percent of Americans want a third party, the highest percentage in 20 years of Gallup asking that question, and Kennedy appears to be the one who can deliver. Most telling for me is the view from my partner, a man who has never voted for a Democrat. He told me he’d consider voting for Robert Kennedy Jr. Now that’s something!
Maria Fotopoulos writes about the connection between overpopulation and biodiversity loss, and from time to time other topics that confound her. On FB @BetheChangeforAnimals and givesendgo.com/calliescathouse.
White House Beckons A Kennedy Again
White House Beckons A Kennedy Again
