# RFK Jr Files to Run for President (Dropped Out on August 23, 2024) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260 "2023-04-06T16:36:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/321 "2024-04-05T16:57:11Z")
Someone — or several someones — is trying like heck to make RFK Jr happen. Guy feels like an obvious chaos-agent puppet. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/322 "2024-04-05T17:15:38Z")
It seems evident he’s not in charge of his campaign. So who is? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/323 "2024-04-05T18:02:08Z")
Follow the money (if you can find its source). ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/324 "2024-04-05T18:05:00Z")
Politico has an analysis of RFK’s donors: [New donors and Republicans are powering RFK Jr.’s 2024 campaign - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/01/rfk-jr-2024-campaign-donors-00124621) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/325 "2024-04-05T22:37:57Z")
He’s now walking back the walkback. [https://www.meidastouch.com/news/rfk-jr-defends-january-6th-insurrectionists-in-new-statement](https://www.meidastouch.com/news/rfk-jr-defends-january-6th-insurrectionists-in-new-statement) > [@](#): > > “I have not examined the evidence in detail,” Kennedy said in his Friday statement, “but reasonable people, including Trump opponents, tell me there is little evidence of a true insurrection. They observe that the protestors carried no weapons, had no plans or ability to seize the reins of government, and that Trump himself had urged them to protest ‘peacefully.’” > > Kennedy said that as President he would investigate any prosecutorial misconduct that led to the imprisonment of the insurrectionists, which echoed a portion of the fundraising email his campaign claimed to not have written, which suggested prosecutorial overreach was responsible for the arrest of both Jan 6 perpetrators and Julian Assange. > > “Like many reasonable Americans I am concerned about the possibility that political objectives motivated the vigor of the prosecution of the Jan 6 defendants and their harsh treatment,” Kennedy said. “That would fit a disturbing pattern of weaponization of government agencies - the DOJ, the IRS, the SEC, the FBI, etc. - against political opponents.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/326 "2024-04-05T23:06:12Z")
So much walking back! He’s sure to get his 15K steps today! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/327 "2024-04-05T23:17:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > “I have not examined the evidence in detail,” Kennedy said in his Friday statement, “but “But I am just talking out of my ass based on nothing” ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/328 "2024-04-06T00:14:08Z")
If only there was a comprehensive investigation of the incident by house members from both parties with testimony, documents, and video and even more video; he could have examined the evidence. If only there were trials of individuals that he could have seen in person, or read transcripts of. If only there were confessions of individuals involved in the insurrection. …WAIT !!! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/329 "2024-04-06T01:08:41Z")
Oh, and he’s also now declaring that there is no war in Ukraine and Putin is just trying to get rid of the Nazis. [https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/rfk-jr-repeats-russian-propaganda](https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/rfk-jr-repeats-russian-propaganda) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/330 "2024-04-06T01:29:39Z")
What’s the actual difference between RFK Jr. and Trump? ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/331 "2024-04-06T01:37:36Z")
RFK has bigger hands. All the more useful for collecting grift. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/332 "2024-04-06T01:55:00Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > What’s the actual difference between RFK Jr. and Trump? He probably still cares about the environment more than Trump. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/333 "2024-04-06T01:55:19Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > What’s the actual difference between RFK Jr. and Trump? This is a good question. He talks a lot differently from Trump, but so does everyone. Kennedy says he is an environmental lawyer. But his priorities there do not seem to be as focused on carbon as Biden’s: > **[Clean it Up](https://www.kennedy24.com/environment)** > > We’re going to unite Americans around safe and healthy food, pure water, clean air, and living rivers, forests, grasslands, and wetlands. This is different: > **[Deep Commitment](https://www.kennedy24.com/native-americans)** > > Robert F Kennedy Jr inherited from his father a deep commitment to improving the lives of Native Americans. If I spent a lot of time, I’m sure I could come up with a lot more differences. On foreign policy, they both strongly lean to bringing troops home, even from safe NATO bases. Both sound isolationist, which is, to me, a tremendous similarity. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/334 "2024-04-06T01:57:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > He’s now walking back the walkback. > > [https://www.meidastouch.com/news/rfk-jr-defends-january-6th-insurrectionists-in-new-statement](https://www.meidastouch.com/news/rfk-jr-defends-january-6th-insurrectionists-in-new-statement) > > > [@](#): > > > > “I have not examined the evidence in detail,” Kennedy said in his Friday statement, “but reasonable people, including Trump opponents, tell me there is little evidence of a true insurrection. They observe that the protestors carried no weapons, had no plans or ability to seize the reins of government, and that Trump himself had urged them to protest ‘peacefully.’” > > > > Kennedy said that as President he would investigate any prosecutorial misconduct that led to the imprisonment of the insurrectionists, which echoed a portion of the fundraising email his campaign claimed to not have written, which suggested prosecutorial overreach was responsible for the arrest of both Jan 6 perpetrators and Julian Assange. > > > > “Like many reasonable Americans I am concerned about the possibility that political objectives motivated the vigor of the prosecution of the Jan 6 defendants and their harsh treatment,” Kennedy said. “That would fit a disturbing pattern of weaponization of government agencies - the DOJ, the IRS, the SEC, the FBI, etc. - against political opponents.” No true insurrection. Is that like no true Scotsman? Well it’s a good thing no one was charged with insurrection. They were charged for their specific actions on that day. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/335 "2024-04-06T18:32:13Z")
Kennedy is from a distinguished family of unquestioned loyalty to, and distinguished service to, the United States. That family has now largely abandoned him. Trump is… well, you know. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/336 "2024-04-07T04:17:10Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Someone — or several someones — is trying like heck to make RFK Jr happen. Guy feels like an obvious chaos-agent puppet. The king of chaos, Steve Bannon, was I believe the one who talked RFKJr into running. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/337 "2024-04-07T15:35:47Z")
Bannon? That figures. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/338 "2024-04-07T15:42:59Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > RFK has bigger hands. And less belly fat. But he has Trump beat when it comes to insane beliefs, which is no small achievement. I had to mute one of his accounts on Twitter after it started braying about how Junior’s presidency would be “transformational”. Which I suppose is true, if you want your leaders transformed into raving loons burrowing deeply down the rabbit hole. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/339 "2024-04-07T15:50:31Z")
[Hilarious take-down of RFK](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/opinion/rfk-jr-trump-biden.html), Jr. by Frank Bruni in today’s NYT, if you’re a subscriber. “I’ve been around government and studying government since I was a little boy,” Kennedy said, not so subtly stressing his bloodline — he’s a septuagenarian nepo baby — and casting proximity as seasoning. It’s not. I’ve been “around” many physicians in my life. You do not want me performing your appendectomy." ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/340 "2024-04-08T16:20:16Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Oh, and he’s also now declaring that there is no war in Ukraine and Putin is just trying to get rid of the Nazis. > > [https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/rfk-jr-repeats-russian-propaganda](https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/rfk-jr-repeats-russian-propaganda) That’s a popular opinion with the Qanon idiots I know. I have a feeling that Junior is still hiding a lot of crazy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260.md?page=18)