CNN — Environmental lawyer and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday his independent candidacy for president, officially ending his effort to defeat President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary in favor of a long-shot general election bid.

“I’m here to declare myself an independent candidate for president of the United States,” Kennedy said in remarks in Philadelphia.

    • geekworking@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You would hope, but I don’t see many people following him from either side.

      GOP won’t follow just for the association with the democrats despite the fact that he was a GOP plant meant to try to undermine democrats and justify “both sides are the same” horse shit.

    • aelwero@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It will split both sides’ vote, just like every other independent does.

      He’s traditionally a democrat though, and the most likely supporter is the person who’s generally democrat but doesn’t buy into the “blue no matter who” pilosophy that got Biden into office, meaning he’s likely to have more impact on Bidens ticket.

      Personally I’m hoping that the fanboy base behind trump has been been reduced by trump having disenfranchised some of the more centric types, leaving just the odd zealot base (and frankly, I simply don’t understand that support base at all, it’s just a weird ass quasi-religious cult that reminds me of jonestown) . Good chance we might see a lot of that come out as a record breaking indie vote, which would not really be the mechanism you’re describing, but would be the outcome you describe…

      I didnt vote for either of these clowns in 2020 (went with JoJo) and I’m sure as fuck not voting for either this time. I’ll once again be part of the 1% that’s willing to say that both options are bullshit when I hit the ballot box. Hopefully a lot more people go that route, and while a Biden win would be better than a trump/desantis/abbot (I don’t really differentiate these…) win, I’m not gonna be party to saying Biden is acceptable. He’s not. He’s less shit than the current red team offerings, but he’s not in any way not a shitty option…

      • Snapz@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You’re far from reality.

        Biden isn’t a dream by any stretch, but his administration has done a lot, not enough, but a lot. The alternative is nowhere close - not talking zip code, talking solar system. The republicans literally tried and failed to overthrow American democracy. They had a written fucking plan for the military to shoot American civilians if they had succeeded and there was strong resistance. The two party system is a broken system, but it’s here unfortunately and you’re a child if you think your protest vote is somehow righteous in this timeline - a non-vote or a third party vote NOW is as good as a republican vote.

        Don’t kid yourself, own your selfish tantrum if you’re going to throw one.

  • Snapz@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    All that “independent” funding is coming straight from republicans… What a joke. Worst of his family.

  • Decoy321@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I forgot this man existed up until this news. I look forward to forgetting he exists again in the next few days.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    CNN previously reported Kennedy met with the chair of the Libertarian Party earlier this year to discuss their common beliefs.

    In 1992, Texas businessman Ross Perot mounted one of the most successful independent presidential candidacies in recent history, which ended with him receiving 8% of the vote in the general election that was ultimately won by Bill Clinton.

    The Republican National Committee issued a statement just prior to Kennedy’s announcement, characterizing him as “just another radical, far-left Democrat.”

    Some of his siblings issued a joint statement on Monday, calling his decision to run against Biden in a general election “dangerous to our country.”

    Attendees at Monday’s event spanned the ideological spectrum, with conservatives, liberals and independents all gathering in Philadelphia for the announcement.

    Walter Rodriguez, a teacher from New Jersey who identifies as an independent, said he plans to support Kennedy if he’s on the ballot in his home state.


    The original article contains 960 words, the summary contains 150 words. Saved 84%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!