# 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:** 20
**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 27, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/381 "2024-04-27T16:22:09Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > An interesting comment from him. Remember: in Loser Donald’s mind, it was his idea and his alone to invent a covid vaccine and he deserves 100% of the credit for its success. ---
**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 28, 2024, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/382 "2024-04-28T03:55:59Z")
Well, duh. Trump will either blast, praise or ignore Bobby Jr. just as he thinks it’s in his best interest, moment by moment, until Election Day. And moment by moment, the vast majority of his supporters will, overwhelmingly, agree with him. ---
**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 28, 2024, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/383 "2024-04-28T07:29:01Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > > Upstate New York was not allowed to drill or frack as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and others ripped off New York Energy. Because of this, prices have skyrocketed all over that part of the Country, but especially Upstate New York and New England. > > Donny? THAT’S NOT HOW OIL WORKS!!! That jumped out at me too. ---
**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 29, 2024, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/384 "2024-04-29T14:14:04Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Wow! Well, in _that_ case…Go, Bobby, go! And now he’s in Trump’s crosshairs. Dangit! > **[“Junior’” Is Becoming A Problem For Donald](https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/junior-is-becoming-a-problem-for)** > > The candidate whom the GOP hoped would spoil the race for Joe Biden may be pulling more from Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/385 "2024-04-29T14:40:09Z")
no…stop…don’t let trump and rfk getting tied up in squabbling between them, weakening both campaigns…that would be terrible… ---
**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:** [May 3, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/386 "2024-05-03T02:02:07Z")
[Interesting article](http://wsj.com/politics/elections/rfk-junior-campaign-staff-cb17cf42?mod=hp_lead_pos11) in today’s Wall St. Journal about dysfunction, self-promotion and lunacy pervading RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign. Some highlights: "I had felt left behind by both parties and thought someone like RFK could be the answer,” said Kiera Hall, who left the campaign recently and said she doesn’t know whom she will vote for. Kennedy’s campaign was rife with “grifters and opportunists,” she said. “If someone’s going to do that to their campaign, how do I know they won’t do that in their administration?” “Several staffers fear the electromagnetic radiation from microwave ovens, complicating a volunteer potluck. (People were advised to bring crockpots.)” On fundraising: “Aides launched a program that allows any supporter who raises more than $100 in donations to take a 10% cut of the haul. Some staffers worry the approach could invite legal problems, but Kennedy needs to pull out all the stops to raise money. He is burning through cash and lags well behind Biden and Trump in fundraising.” “During the campaign’s virtual Christmas party, held over Zoom, Kennedy said that he was high before someone interrupted to clarify that the candidate had just left the dentist and was still feeling the effects of anesthesia, according to former aides who were on the call.” "…several aides said their colleagues’ commitment to the candidate was almost cultlike. “It was a cult of personality more than traditional politics,” said Kramar, the former ballot access director. “Telling someone how wonderful a person is is not the same as earning their vote.” The WSJ story also details questionable backgrounds among some campaign officials (including accusations of sexual harassment and ballot tampering; RFK Jr.'s communications director Del Bigtree is a prominent antivaxer who once urged his followers to make use of their Second Amendment rights to achieve their goals), rampant staff turnover and dubious qualifications. Some of RFK Jr.'s staffers think his path to victory is by siphoning off sufficient votes from both Biden and Trump to deny either the 270 electoral votes needed for victory, under the delusion that Congress will reject both in favor of Junior. It’s both a cult and a clown show. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/387 "2024-05-03T02:38:31Z")
Read the whole WSJ article on a library web site. The word Shanahan does not appear. Campaign chaos might be pretty expected. In order to be a big factor in the race, Kennedy needs a couple hundred million dollars. So far, Shanahan seems unwilling to pony up. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/388 "2024-05-03T03:19:49Z")
RFK Jr. has qualified for the California ballot by accepting the nomination of the American Independent Party, a California-only party founded to get George Wallace on the ballot in 1968 and subsequently been a parade of right-wing kooks. > **[RFK Jr. embraces California ballot nomination from party with history of...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/02/rfk-jr-california-ballot-american-independent-party/)** > > The American Independent Party of California, which backed segregationist and former Alabama governor George Wallace in 1968, nominated Kennedy for president. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2024, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/389 "2024-05-03T18:56:14Z")
I’ve heard of the Mellons before, of course, but not this guy in particular: > **[Who is Timothy Mellon, the ultra-wealthy donor bankrolling both RFK Jr. and...](https://www.aol.com/timothy-mellon-ultra-wealthy-donor-092718764.html)** > > Over nine months, Mellon gave $5 million donations that alternate between super PACs supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/390 "2024-05-03T20:21:14Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > On fundraising: “Aides launched a program that allows any supporter who raises more than $100 in donations to take a 10% cut of the haul …the _total_ haul? ---
**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:** [May 6, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/391 "2024-05-06T22:38:41Z")
Well, looks like MAGA Jr. has locked up the weirdo blacklisted-celebrity child molestor demographic; > **['Biden must be crushed': Jokes roll in after Kevin Spacey makes surprise...](https://www.rawstory.com/kevin-spacey-2668176651/)** > > Kevin Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor whose career was derailed by multiple allegations of sexual abuse, made a surprise endorsement of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday.In a Twitter post, Spacey explained why he supported... ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/392 "2024-05-06T22:46:46Z")
If the goal is to win in November, a Spacey endorsement hurts. But if the goal is to meet the debate invitation criteria (consistent polling of at least 15 percent), almost anything to get attention will help. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/393 "2024-05-06T23:02:25Z")
Is Harvey Weinstein’s endorsement still up for grabs? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/394 "2024-05-07T01:36:30Z")
[RFK Jr. challenges Biden to drop out](https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/01/robert-f-kennedy-jr-spoiler-pledge-biden-trump-00155600) > [@](#): > > Kennedy then called on Biden to take a “No Spoiler Pledge,” and withdraw from the race if he were to perform worse than Kennedy in a head-to-head matchup with Trump in a 30,000-plus person poll in mid-October. > > Kennedy said he would be happy to make a similar appeal to the former president as well, but Trump “is not a spoiler because he can actually win.” This is a silly proposal. For one thing, early voting starts September 20. For another, third party candidates fade as election day approaches, so a pre-voting poll will exaggerate Kennedy support. Less important, I guess, is that one or two polls, no matter what the sample size, are not enough to for accuracy. There needs to be a sample of different polling methods with polls taken on different dates. This would require major party scale campaign spending, and I see no evidence that Nicole Shanahan is willing to part with that kind of money. Also, even though Biden may say he is running because of being the strongest candidate against Trump, that’s implausible to me. Biden is not running to stop Trump (or Kennedy). Biden is running because he personally wants to remain president. I’ll give Kennedy this much. One on one against Trump or Biden, with roughly similar campaign spending, I suspect RFK Jr would win. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/395 "2024-05-07T05:29:19Z")
ISWYDT (Learn jargon Discourse…) ---
**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:** [May 7, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/396 "2024-05-07T15:30:33Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Also, even though Biden may say he is running because of being the strongest candidate against Trump, that’s implausible to me. Biden is not running to stop Trump (or Kennedy). Biden is running because he personally wants to remain president. > > I’ll give Kennedy this much. One on one against Trump or Biden, with roughly similar campaign spending, I suspect RFK Jr would win. I disagree. I think Biden would be more than happy to retire to Delaware. If he was truly driven to become president he would have run in 2016 and not reluctantly joined the race in 2020. If Trump didn’t run I think there was a better than even chance Biden wouldn’t either. In a full campaign for all to see Kennedy’s crazy would come out. He’s crazy in a way that both Democrats and Republicans hate but on different issues. His anti-vax stuff plays to the anti-government types but they will find out how liberal he is on other issues. ---
**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:** [May 7, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/397 "2024-05-07T15:37:18Z")
I quoted from this same article over in the “_ **Polling is broken** _” thread – here’s a tidbit about Kennedy’s supporters in **[the recent ABC News/Ipsos poll](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/6-months-out-tight-presidential-race-trump-biden-poll/story?id=109909175)**: > This finds the race at 42% for Trump and 40% for Biden, with 12% for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2% for Cornel West and 1% for Jill Stein. (That, of course, assumes Kennedy, West and Stein are on the ballot in all states, an open question.) Among registered voters in the five-way race, it’s 42-42%, Biden-Trump, and Biden is a non-significant +3 or +4 points in likely voter models. > > **Kennedy gets 12% [in a five-candidate poll] even though 77% of his supporters say they know “just some” or “hardly anything” about his positions on the issues.** Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/398 "2024-05-07T21:50:30Z")
What is that condition he has? It must be genetic because his sister sounds like she may have the same issue, to a lessor degree. I feel really bad for him on that one thing only. I wish he would drop out. He knows damn good and well he can’t win and he also knows he could hurt Joe Biden by staying in. Asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/399 "2024-05-08T05:04:04Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I quoted from this same article over in the “_ **Polling is broken** _” thread – here’s a tidbit about Kennedy’s supporters in **[the recent ABC News/Ipsos poll](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/6-months-out-tight-presidential-race-trump-biden-poll/story?id=109909175)**: > > > This finds the race at 42% for Trump and 40% for Biden, with 12% for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2% for Cornel West and 1% for Jill Stein. (That, of course, assumes Kennedy, West and Stein are on the ballot in all states, an open question.) Among registered voters in the five-way race, it’s 42-42%, Biden-Trump, and Biden is a non-significant +3 or +4 points in likely voter models. > > > > **Kennedy gets 12% [in a five-candidate poll] even though 77% of his supporters say they know “just some” or “hardly anything” about his positions on the issues.** > > Yeah. You managed to leave out the next part of that article: > Notably, his (RFK) supporters **are more apt to be Republicans or GOP-leaning independents (54%) than Democrats and Democratic leaners (42%, a slight difference given sample sizes), and in a two-way race, they favor Trump over Biden by 13 points.** That may explain why Trump attacked Kennedy as a stalking horse in social media posts last week. It’s looking more likely RFK will harm DJT in the general. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260/400 "2024-05-08T10:19:42Z")
Well, it all makes sense now: > **[R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.html)** > > The presidential candidate has faced previously undisclosed health issues, including a parasite that he said ate part of his brain. He literally had brain worms, so now you know why he’s such a whackjob. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfk-jr-files-to-run-for-president-dropped-out-on-august-23-2024/982260.md?page=21)