Reed MidekeLOL, GOPers who spent the last few months transparently hyping RFK Jr as a spoiler against Biden suddenly figuring out his schtick appeals more to their base than the Dems https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/09/republican-leaders-attack-robert-kennedy-jr-independent-campaign-announcement/
Though TBH I have a hard time seeing his relatively high favorability with GOPers translating into many votes from people who would otherwise have gone to Trump, even if it survives Fox pivoting against him. Sure, they might think he's an OK guy (unlike other Dems, who are baby-eating communists), but they're still gonna like their guy better
Also, LOL at RFK Jr, Harvard educated scion of the most recognized political dynasty in the nation, ranting about how voters are "belittled by a smug elite that has rigged the game in its favor"
For anyone in need of a concrete example of how #RFKJr is an absolute piece of shit, AP got you covered: Kid dies due to undetected medical condition. RFK Jr affiliated group *puts kid's picture on the cover of their antivax book*, and claims he died of the covid vax (which he never had), without even contacting the family https://apnews.com/article/rfk-kennedy-election-vaccines-2ccde2df146f57b5e8c26e8494f0a16a
RFK Jr. spent years stoking fear of vaccines. These people were hurt
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent years disseminating false information about vaccines in a time when spreading conspiracy theories has become a powerful way to grow a constituency. The AP examined the impact of his work. A couple grieving their 12-year-old son described how a book co-published by Kennedy’s group misrepresented his death. One mom delayed care for her autistic son because she believed Kennedy’s vaccine falsehoods. An ex-lawmaker described being harassed by Kennedy’s followers. Medical workers recounted how his work has hurt people in the U.S. and abroad. Kennedy’s campaign didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Cool, cool #RFKJr 'said he would use the power of [the attorney general] to threaten editors of medical journals and force them to publish studies that had been retracted (an example he often cites is the retracted studies saying ivermectin, a parasite drug, was an effective treatment for Covid). “We’re gonna say we’re fixing to file some racketeering lawsuits if you don’t start telling the truth in your journals.”'
RFK Jr. comes ‘home’ to his anti-vaccine group, commits to ‘a break’ for U.S. infectious disease research
At an anti-vaccine conference in Georgia on Friday, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed his commitment to the cause and spoke to his base about how he, as president, would serve the movement he built.
In interviews with mainstream outlets #RFKJr likes to claim he isn't antivax, just "pro vaccine safety" or some similar BS. Meanwhile, his organization posts insane crap like this
Anyway, totally weird those "toxins" just disappeared at exactly the time the Polio vaccine was rolled out
(https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/reported-paralytic-polio-cases-and-deaths-in-the-united-states-since-1910)
(https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/reported-paralytic-polio-cases-and-deaths-in-the-united-states-since-1910)
Periodic reminder that #RFKJr is a piece of shit: 'Kennedy wrote a blog post for the CHD site that called [antivax activist] Tamasese a “medical freedom hero.” He referred to the 2019 blast of measles [which killed 83] in Samoa as merely a “mild measles outbreak” and praised Tamasese for having “infuriated the Global Medical Cartel”' https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/07/how-rfk-jr-falsely-denied-his-connection-to-a-deadly-measles-outbreak-in-samoa/
I for one am *shocked* to learn that #RFKJr
1) Had a friendly chat with Trump
2) In that chat espouses the same deranged, long debunked anti-vax BS he disavows when talking to mainstream news reporters
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-courts-rfk-jrs-support-leaked-phone-call-2024-07-16/
Also *shocked* to learn that multimillionaire Timothy Mellon is both one of #RFKJr's biggest donors and also one of Trump's biggest donors
My shocked face 😐 #RFKJr "… held talks this month with former president Donald Trump about endorsing his campaign and taking a job in a second Trump administration, overseeing a portfolio of health and medical issues, according to four people familiar with the matter"
https://wapo.st/3LAq1TR
#RFKJr, being an equal opportunity grifter, also reportedly offered to drop out an endorse Harris in return for cabinet position
Unsurprisingly, "Harris and her advisers have not responded with an offer to meet or shown interest in the proposal"
#RFKJr's running mate Nicole Shanahan suggests they could drop out and endorse Trump to avoid a "Harris-Walz presidency"
She also denies they tried to pitch a deal with the Harris campaign, while admitting "we have offered to talk to everybody about what your policies are, who’s going to be in your cabinet" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
RFK Jr. running mate Shanahan says they’re considering endorsing Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nicole Shanahan said the Kennedy campaign is considering dropping out of the race and endorsing former President Donald Trump while framing the choice through her hope of reducing “the risk” of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming president.
OTOH, in a remarkably un-#RFKJr nod to consensus reality "Shanahan noted at multiple points in the interview that Kennedy does not have a clear path to victory"
Meanwhile, Donald says of #RFKjr (a man best known for peddling some of the most thoroughly debunked, idiotic dog-shit conspiracy theories on the planet) "He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time … I like him a lot. I respect him a lot" https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/20/politics/robert-kennedy-nicole-shanahan-donald-trump-endorsement/index.html
RFK Jr. running mate Shanahan says they’re considering endorsing Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate Nicole Shanahan said the Kennedy campaign is considering dropping out of the race and endorsing former President Donald Trump while framing the choice through her hope of reducing “the risk” of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming president.
Seems to me #RFKJr backing Trump is an opportunity for the Dems "weird" / "unserious" line of attack. Here Trump is, aligning himself with another deeply weird, fringe crackpot, purely based on RFK's willingness to flatter him. Sure they might lose a bit of the antivax left, but there's an basically unlimited supply of dirt on RFK Jr that should horrify centrist normies https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-ends-presidential-bid/
RFK Jr. endorses Trump and suspends presidential campaign
"In my heart, I no longer believe that I have a realistic path to electoral victory," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, explaining his decision to "throw my support to President Trump."
Seems like someone should do a supercut alternating between clips of cranks like Alex Jones, Flynn, Sydney Powell, RFK Jr, Lindell etc saying their wackiest, most offensive shit and Trump saying how great and smart they are
Yes, I double checked that wasn't an (intentional) #RFKJr parody account.
This is the person Donald recently praised with "He's a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time … I like him a lot. I respect him a lot"
Leaving aside the whole "undisclosed relationship with a source" thing, I'm gonna go ahead and question the judgement of anyone sharing "intimate photos" (or really, anything else they want to keep confidential) with RFK Jr https://www.thedailybeast.com/married-rfk-jr-70-bragged-he-had-intimate-photographs-of-reporter-31
Ben Brockert@reedmideke Have the democrats forgotten how to skulldug? Someone close to the campaign offers him a cabinet seat to drop out, and after the election the campaign-actual disavows all knowledge.
Mr. BXtine @mastodon.social@reedmideke
He should offer to support Trump who, if elected, would offer him a job as his personal psychiatrist. That would work.
He should offer to support Trump who, if elected, would offer him a job as his personal psychiatrist. That would work.