The Mind-Bending Politics of RFK Jr.’s Spoiler Campaign

This article is a bit of a read, but I think worth your time. Before reading it, it crossed my mind that RFK, Jr. was possibly better read as "Ross Perrot, Jr." The author of this article in Intelligencer appears to conclude the same, but maybe not as seriously as I do.

I don't much care about the size or shape of other people's homes, etc., but when an environmentalist - who's so serious about it that that his lawyer expertise - live in a nearly 6000 sq. ft. home, and keeps his "dog only" vehicle like a pigsty, never washing it, it begs the question if he's the typical, "Rules for thee, but not for me," type of guy. Not that a candidate's home or vehicle is my largest concern when considering for whom to vote. But it is there, and ya can't help but miss it.

A few tidbits:

[RFK Jr.] “Almost every time I’ve done something difficult, I’ve had those moments. Rock climbing or kayaking a very difficult stretch of white water, you get to a point where you say, What on earth did I get myself into? Get me out of here,” he said. “I haven’t had one moment. I’m pretty much free of anxieties. I feel peaceful.”

Good — for him. Kennedy’s chill disposition is now the rest of the political world’s simmering panic attack. Since announcing in October that he would end his campaign for the Democratic nomination to officially become a problem for both major parties as an independent, fear — and denial — is what Kennedy seems to inspire among the staid Washington Establishment supporting the incumbent president and the gangland anti-Establishment Establishment supporting the former president. Officials from both party apparatuses are certainly looking at metrics that confirm Kennedy is turning the presidential election upside down.

Maybe a little overly secure? Hmm. And I don't know as the rest of the political world is all bent out of shape, as the author claims.

~snip~

This attitude of RFK's may work in his favor. I'm just not so sure that I buy it:

In the primary, Kennedy was a nuisance solely for Biden. Which made him a blessing for Trump. And the right-wing media apparatus was happy to offer this shiny heirloom weapon a boost — and to focus his aim. “I don’t cancel people,” he told me. “I like talking to people who don’t necessarily agree with me.” In the aughts, he’s proud to say, he was the “only environmentalist” willing to go on Fox News. More recently, he appeared on War Room with Steve Bannon. “My wife would get very angry with me when I went on his show, so I didn’t like to go on,” he said. “But I enjoyed talking to him because he’s smart and he also shared some of my views about the pandemic.” Bannon was only the beginning. Poor Cheryl.

~snip~

Just one more, 'cuz I want to get it out there:

In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Voters should not be deceived by anyone who pretends to have conservative values. The fact is that RFK has a disturbing background steeped in radical, liberal positions. Whether he’s a China sympathizer, denigrating gun owners, promoting business-killing green policies, or supporting on-demand abortion, an RFK candidacy is nothing more than a vanity project for a liberal Kennedy looking to cash in on his family’s name.”

Then again, wasn't the same said of Trump?

Have fun. It's a darned decent article:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/robert-f-kennedy-jr-2024-presidential-campaign-politics.html

2cent wrote:This article is a bit of a read, but I think worth your time.  Before reading it, it crossed my mind that RFK, Jr. was possibly better read as "Ross Perrot, Jr."  The author of this article in Intelligencer appears to conclude the same, but maybe not as seriously as I do.

I don't much care about the size or shape of other people's homes, etc., but when an environmentalist - who's so serious about it that that his lawyer expertise - live in a nearly 6000 sq. ft. home, and keeps his "dog only" vehicle like a pigsty, never washing it, it begs the question if he's the typical, "Rules for thee, but not for me," type of guy.  Not that a candidate's home or vehicle is my largest concern when considering for whom to vote.  But it is there, and ya can't help but miss it.

A few tidbits:

[RFK Jr.] “Almost every time I’ve done something difficult, I’ve had those moments. Rock climbing or kayaking a very difficult stretch of white water, you get to a point where you say, What on earth did I get myself into? Get me out of here,” he said. “I haven’t had one moment. I’m pretty much free of anxieties. I feel peaceful.”

Good — for him. Kennedy’s chill disposition is now the rest of the political world’s simmering panic attack. Since announcing in October that he would end his campaign for the Democratic nomination to officially become a problem for both major parties as an independent, fear — and denial — is what Kennedy seems to inspire among the staid Washington Establishment supporting the incumbent president and the gangland anti-Establishment Establishment supporting the former president. Officials from both party apparatuses are certainly looking at metrics that confirm Kennedy is turning the presidential election upside down.

Maybe a little overly secure?  Hmm.  And I don't know as the rest of the political world is all bent out of shape, as the author claims.

~snip~

This attitude of RFK's may work in his favor.  I'm just not so sure that I buy it:

In the primary, Kennedy was a nuisance solely for Biden. Which made him a blessing for Trump. And the right-wing media apparatus was happy to offer this shiny heirloom weapon a boost — and to focus his aim. “I don’t cancel people,” he told me. “I like talking to people who don’t necessarily agree with me.” In the aughts, he’s proud to say, he was the “only environmentalist” willing to go on Fox News. More recently, he appeared on War Room with Steve Bannon. “My wife would get very angry with me when I went on his show, so I didn’t like to go on,” he said. “But I enjoyed talking to him because he’s smart and he also shared some of my views about the pandemic.” Bannon was only the beginning. Poor Cheryl.

~snip~

Just one more, 'cuz I want to get it out there:

In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said, “Voters should not be deceived by anyone who pretends to have conservative values. The fact is that RFK has a disturbing background steeped in radical, liberal positions. Whether he’s a China sympathizer, denigrating gun owners, promoting business-killing green policies, or supporting on-demand abortion, an RFK candidacy is nothing more than a vanity project for a liberal Kennedy looking to cash in on his family’s name.”

Then again, wasn't the same said of Trump?  

Have fun.  It's a darned decent article:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/robert-f-kennedy-jr-2024-presidential-campaign-politics.html

I think TDS runs deep and the left will say ANYTHING, DO ANYTHING, MAKE UP ANYTHING and their media minions will trumpet it out there 24/7. Do I buy it? Not a chance! Am I still voting for President Trump? ABSOLUTELY!

My question is.... would he "Perot" Biden, or Trump?

HawkTheSlayer wrote:My question is.... would he "Perot" Biden, or Trump?

Good question. I think his policies run more liberal, so I'd say Trump.

2cent wrote:

HawkTheSlayer wrote:My question is.... would he "Perot" Biden, or Trump?

Good question.  I think his policies run more liberal, so I'd say Trump.

So you think if junior runs third party it will take votes away from Trump?

HawkTheSlayer wrote:

2cent wrote:

HawkTheSlayer wrote:My question is.... would he "Perot" Biden, or Trump?

Good question.  I think his policies run more liberal, so I'd say Trump.

So you think if junior runs third party it will take votes away from Trump?

Yes, I do. I can't look at him as anything more than a spoiler. A Kennedy running as an Independent? Somehow I just don't buy it.

But I do have to say: There's little doubt that Kennedy will draw votes away from BOTH Biden and Trump. Heck, the draw could well be even~Stephens: As much from one as the other. Tough call.

HawkTheSlayer wrote:My question is.... would he "Perot" Biden, or Trump?

I think he's aiming at the Circle-D voter.

His last faux pas before being Cancelled, was to call for "Reparations." Yeah, I know...made me involuntarily retch, too.

But that's not to appeal to Trump voters. It may be he's not so simpleminded and economically-illiterate as that.

It may be strategic. I think he knows, if he can't get serious traction, the NEXT best thing is to split support to where Trump takes it all.

And he does that without dropping his candidacy and kowtowing to Orange Man.

Not sure I agree with the strategy, but it does have some things going for it.

It seems to me he would take votes from biden but i guess there are many idiots who dislike trumps personality enough that they would vote independent.

HawkTheSlayer wrote:It seems to me he would take votes from biden but i guess there are many idiots who dislike trumps personality enough that they would vote independent.

Well, those are votes that, for whatever reason, Trump will not get.

In the end, all this will perhaps answer is, of those who vote - which candidate is disliked - or maybe just not trusted - the most.