The Angels.- Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was not with his best-known rivals, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, when they debated Thursday in Atlanta.
But Kennedy responded in real time to the same questions – about inflation, the response to COVID-19 and abortion – that were posed to Biden and Trump in a rare live broadcast on the social platform Kennedy’s responses within the same strict time constraints imposed on the other candidates.
Standing alone on a stage in Los Angeles, Kennedy opened his event, dubbed The Real Debate, by accusing CNN, host of the main contest, of colluding with the Republican and Democratic parties to leave him out.
“This is an important thing for our democracy because Americans feel that the system is rigged,” Kennedy said during his keynote address. “This is exactly the kind of fusion of state and corporate power that I am standing to oppose.”
Apart from the live-streamed response to the debate, Kennedy has nothing on his public agenda for the coming weeks. Neither does his running mate, philanthropist Nicole Shanahan.
After a busy spring crisscrossing the country in a mix of political rallies, fundraisers and non-traditional campaign events, Kennedy appears to be taking a breather.
Kennedy’s absence from major debates and the campaign trail poses a risk to his insurgent bid to shake up the Republican and Democratic dominance of the American political system. He lacks the money for a large number of television ads, and must spend much of what money he has on securing access to the ballot box. Public appearances are a cheap way to energize his supporters and get the media coverage he needs to remain relevant.
Kennedy says he can’t win unless voters know he’s running and believe he can beat Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. That problem will become increasingly acute as the debate, followed by the major party conventions in July and August, push more voters into the race.
Still, Kennedy has maintained a steady stream of social media posts and continues to give interviews, most recently with host Dr. Phil.
“Mr. Kennedy has a packed schedule for July with many public events, mostly on the East Coast and including a large rally,” said Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy campaign spokeswoman. “We will begin announcing events next week.”
For Thursday’s debate on CNN, the network invited candidates who showed strength in four reliable polls and access to the ballot in enough states to win the presidency. Kennedy did not meet both requirements.
He has cried foul over the rules, accusing CNN of colluding with Biden and Trump in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission and threatening to sue.
Kennedy was not on stage, but his supporters had a visible presence on the streets around the debate hall.
Some Kennedy supporters set up a lemonade stand a few blocks from the room where the press was meeting. A sign atop the stand read: “CNN Lemons = Kennedy Lemonade.” Others waved “Heal the Divide” signs. Not far away, a Kennedy campaign bus was playing loud music.
Sujat Desai, a 20-year-old student from Pleasanton, California, who supports Kennedy, said Kennedy’s absence from the debate is a major hurdle he has to overcome.
“I don’t think there’s any way to raise awareness if you’re not on the debate stage,” Desai said. “I think it’s a pretty lethal blow not to be in this debate, and it would be detrimental not to be in the next one.”
Still, Desai said he won’t be deterred from voting for Kennedy even if it seems like a long shot in November.
“I think he’s probably the strongest independent candidate I’ve seen in a long time, so I’ll give him that,” Desai said. “I think he’s doing well. His policies are strong enough to win, I just don’t know if there’s any awareness.”
Independent and third-party candidates like Kennedy face steep odds, but Kennedy’s campaign has spooked supporters on both sides, who fear he will tip the election against them. Biden supporters worry that his famous Democratic name and record of environmental advocacy will sway left-leaning voters. Trump supporters worry that his idiosyncratic views — particularly his questioning of the scientific consensus on the safety and efficacy of vaccines — will attract people who might otherwise vote for Trump.
Christy Jones, 54, a holistic health and mindfulness coach from Glendora, California, worries that people won’t know Kennedy is running if she’s not standing next to Biden and Trump at the debate. But she says Kennedy is still present on all of her social media accounts and she’s confident she’s making herself visible.
“I feel like he can still win if people decide to be brave,” she said. “If all the people who really want change voted for him, he would be in. People are asking for change.”
Until recently, Kennedy’s website promoted various events weeks or more in advance, including public rallies and private fundraisers. He hosted comedy nights with top comedians in Michigan and Tennessee.
But since attending the June 15 premiere of a film about the fight against addiction, Kennedy has been in the dark, although he continues to promote in-person and virtual organizing events for his supporters.
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