A broad coalition of the Kennedy family plans to endorse President Biden at a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Thursday, but independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who many Democrats believe poses a significant threat to Biden's re-election, – Sharply rejects Mr. Junior. -Election chances.
Among Mr Kennedy's relatives expected to support Mr Biden are his siblings Joseph, Kelly, Rory, Kathleen, Maxwell and Christopher. The Biden campaign released a list of 15 Kennedy family members scheduled to attend the rally, but said other family members would support the president as well. Kerry Kennedy will introduce Biden at the rally, and Kennedy's nephew, former Democratic congressman Joe Kennedy III from Massachusetts, will introduce him at a second event, the campaign said.
This show of force comes as America's most storied Democratic family deeply fears it could tip the 2024 election to former President Donald J. Trump and is using its influence to thwart him. This will send the clearest signal yet.
“There is no one who can match President Biden in continuing the legacy of John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy,” Kerry Kennedy said Thursday on ABC's “Good Morning America.” , adding, “I don't think anyone can match President Biden.” We need to ensure that he is elected. ”
Many families have expressed strong disapproval of Kennedy's candidacy, expressing anguish over his promotion of conspiracy theories and confusion over why he would challenge a Democratic president they admire. It was stated. Like many Democrats, they fear that taking even a small amount of votes away from Biden in battleground states (races decided by tens of thousands of votes in 2020) could help Trump win. There is.
Mr. Trump is likely to remain the main target of attacks at the Philadelphia event, but his symbolic rejection of Mr. Kennedy will not be subtle.
“Today, I can say with the same sense of urgency that our rights and freedoms are once again at risk,” Kerry Kennedy will say, according to excerpts of the speech shared by the Biden campaign. “That’s why we all need to come together in a campaign that unites all Americans who believe in Lincoln’s better angels, not just Democrats, but Republicans and independents.”
The family communicated their wishes by telegram. Last month, members visited Biden at the White House on St. Patrick's Day and shared photos of him with the crowd. “From a proud Irish family, it's great to have you all back in the White House,” Biden wrote on social media.
Kennedy family officials also criticized ads run during the Super Bowl by a super PAC supporting Kennedy. The ad closely resembled a spot supporting his uncle, John F. Kennedy, during his 1960 bid for the White House.
With the election just months away and Kennedy still pursuing voting access in many states, it's hard to know whether he'll get more votes from Trump or Biden. But polls show Trump's support base is much more entrenched than Biden's, meaning some of the president's voters may be open to an alternative.
Democrats have assembled a team of lawyers specifically aimed at pursuing Mr. Kennedy's threat in battleground states. The group will also seek to counter other potential spoilers, including progressive academic Cornel West and the Green Party, who are eyeing the presidency.
Democrats have already seen the collapse of third-party efforts they had been nervously watching. The centrist group No Labels announced earlier this month that it aims to replace Biden and Trump with moderate politicians with national recognition. that he would abandon the attempt.
Mr. Kennedy holds a variety of policy positions that cannot be easily categorized by ideology. He has expressed liberal views on abortion, the environment and income inequality, but he has promoted false theories about vaccine safety and pushed arguments common on the right.
Earlier this month, he questioned the Justice Department's efforts to prosecute those who rioted at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and downplayed the seriousness of the attack. His campaign also fired a consultant who suggested endorsing Kennedy would help Trump defeat Biden.
Still, Mr. Trump has indicated that he believes Mr. Kennedy could drive voters away from his campaign. He posted on social media last month that Kennedy was more “radical left” than Biden, casting him as a covertly liberal Democrat. But Mr. Trump has also privately expressed interest in the idea of choosing Mr. Kennedy as his running mate, an idea that those close to Mr. Trump consider unrealistic and Mr. Kennedy himself. I'm refusing.
Biden's rally in Philadelphia will be the last major stop in three days of major rallies through Pennsylvania. During the trip, he laid out economic and tax issues and repeatedly attacked Trump as rich, out of touch and an enemy of working people.
Kennedy family members attending the rally are expected to call on Mr. Kennedy's father, Robert F. Kennedy.
“I can only imagine how Donald Trump's outrageous lies and actions must have shocked his father, Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as the Attorney General of the United States and kept his promise to uphold the law and protect our country. ” Kerry Kennedy would say, according to her prepared remarks. “Papa stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear, just as President Biden does today.”
The Biden campaign said members of Kennedy's family will be calling voters and knocking on doors after Biden's speech.