President Joe Biden received the formal endorsement of more than a dozen members of the extended Kennedy family on Thursday. The endorsement aimed to harness the legacy of the storied Democratic family while implicitly underscoring their rejection of a third-party challenge mounted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The broader Kennedy family has mostly shunned RFK Jr.’s campaign, calling it “dangerous,” even as the candidate himself looks to capitalize on his last name and family history.
Thursday’s event in Philadelphia highlighted the threat Kennedy poses to Biden as he seeks reelection in a race where even a low-performing third-party candidate could act as a spoiler.
In a speech introducing Biden, Kerry Kennedy, one of RFK Jr.’s sisters, declared the president “a champion for all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncles stood for” while also warning of threats posed by Donald Trump to democracy and freedom.
Biden’s reelection campaign aims to “unite not only Democrats, but all Americans, including Republicans, and independents,” as stated by Kerry Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy Jr. expressed hope that his family’s political disagreements could serve as a model for Americans to “restore civility and respect to public discourse.”
After the speech, the Kennedys joined Biden at a grassroots organizing event with campaign volunteers and local supporters. Biden has emphasized his ties to the Kennedys, citing Robert F. Kennedy Sr. as a personal inspiration in his political career.
Several family members have already made clear they are backing Biden in November, seeking to distance themselves from RFK Jr.’s presidential bid.
RFK Jr. has sought to downplay an apparent family rift, emphasizing the diversity of opinions within the Kennedy family.
The Kennedy family members who attended Biden’s event Thursday included Rory Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Joe Kennedy II, and several others.
