One of the world’s most historically significant dynasties since the Khans and the Kardashians, the Kennedys have landed a candidate in the US presidential arena in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.).
The candidacy of RFK Jr., who is emerging as Biden’s top contender for the Democratic primary nomination, is hallmarked by his now-famous anti-vaccine rhetoric. This has made some consider him as dangerous as Genghis, though he certainly hasn’t had as many injections as Kim.
RFK Jr.’s backstory is a blend of humanitarian achievements, conspiratorial accusations, drugs, and legal troubles. Ultimately his family's most influential members, the majority of his own party, and the US media dub him as an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist and damaging. So who is RFK Jr.? And will his anti-vaccine notions be too hard of a pill for Democrats to swallow? Or shall I say… inject?
RFK Jr. claims labels like anti-science are an effort to silence him, but he has written in his best-selling book the following things that are dubious or widely discredited by the scientific community: vaccines cause autism, chemicals in the water contribute to transgenderism, China and the US are creating racial targeting bioweapons and wifi causes cancer.
The last he says occurs by opening the blood-brain barrier causing something called "leaky brain". Very scientific sounding. Coincidentally "leaky brain" sounds like it may be what causes some of these theories. This makes the least controversial thing he’s said is that the CIA killed his uncle JFK.
But this is not his whole story. He became an Assistant District Attorney, resigning the following year after failing the bar exam. In 1984 he pleaded guilty to heroin possession. I can’t help but note the irony that he thinks vaccines are bad, but heroin is cool. Maybe he would feel differently if instead of Pfizer, the vaccine was produced by El Chapo. (Sorry RFK Jr. bad taste jokes are a vaccine side effect.)
But, he went on to have an honorable law career fighting for the environment, poor, minority and indigenous communities for over 40 years. A highlight is over 100 successful litigations earning millions from corporations to clean up the legendarily polluted New York Hudson River, almost completely restoring its ecology and local fishermans' livelihoods.
Despite this history and a largely left-wing platform of anti-corporate greed and war and pro-healthcare, environment and income equality, a poll found his favorability among Republicans was 38% higher than with Democrats. Which is kind of like a Ukrainian candidate who's more popular in Russia.
Also, according to Opensecrets.org a super PAC financially backing RFK Jr. has deep ultra-conservative ties, which ironically, is causing conspiracy theories to crop up about him… Boy, life is funny.
Additionally, RFK Jr. has claimed pride that Trump referred to him as a "Common-sense guy like him". Having the common sense of Trump is like being as fast as Steven Hawking. Who not only is paralyzed… but also dead.
Despite no positive US left-wing media attention, he has been able to poll up to 20% among democrats in early primary polling. But these numbers are already coming down after his recent big podcast tour.
When the more you talk, the less powerful your message, you might want to check your message. He does seem like a man who’s done great things and earnestly believes he’s doing what’s right. The problem is that he may have the common sense of Donald Trump