Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday announced a bid for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination.
The scion of the legendary political dynasty and noted anti-vaxxer poses little threat to President Joe Biden and has been criticized by his family. But RFK Jr. could use his bold-faced family name to spread discredited claims that vaccines like the lifesaving COVID-19 shots pose health risks.
Kennedy, 69, launched his campaign in Boston with a video heavy on imagery from the heyday of his slain father, Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle President John F. Kennedy.
He repeated attacks on vaccines, calling their widespread use the result of a “corrupt merger of state and corporate power.”
“A new kind of corporate feudalism on our country (will) poison our children and our people with chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy bills himself as an environmental lawyer. But he is best known for spreading bogus conspiracy theories about vaccines, a campaign that has gained major traction amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread use of vaccines that public health experts credit with saving millions of lives.
Kennedy joins new age self-help guru Marianne Williamson in what is shaping up as a barely there primary fight with Biden, who says he plans to announce his reelection bid sometime soon.
Kennedy get next to no support from his famed family.
Siblings Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and ex-Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II denounced RFK Jr.’s anti-vaxxer views as being “part of a misinformation campaign that’s having heartbreaking — and deadly — consequences.”
RFK Jr. was forced to apologize last year for comparing mandatory vaccines to the Nazi Holocaust.
Ironically, the potential 2024 audience for Kennedy’s anti-vaxxer lies appears to be much stronger in the Republican Party rather than the Democratic Party.
Right-wing flame thrower Steve Bannon has praised Kennedy and said he would be in third place in a potential GOP primary race, trailing only former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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