From News Nation Now:
SOURCE:
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would not pledge to support his party’s nominee, stood by his claims about vaccines and announced that “I want my party back” in his first national town hall presented by NewsNation on Wednesday.
“I’m running because I feel like my party has lost its way,” Kennedy told NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas.
Kennedy — an environmental lawyer and nephew of President John F. Kennedy — has positioned himself as a populist set on returning to the “exact values that would have been promoted by my father and uncle.”
Despite never holding elective office, Kennedy’s campaign has generated attention within the party. Among Democrats, Kennedy is polling at 15%, according to a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll. Still, Biden is well ahead at 62%.
In order to win the nomination, Kennedy will have to do something no primary challenger has done in modern U.S. history — unseat an incumbent president for their party’s nomination.
Right out of the gate, Kennedy declined to take the bait and attack his potential opponents.
Vargas asked Kennedy what he thought of Donald Trump after the former president praised him as a “common sense guy” in a recent interview.
The Democratic hopeful said he’s focused on unity, not division.
“I’m not going to attack other people personally,” he said. “What I’m trying to do in this race is bring people together.”
Kennedy had the same attitude toward the current president.
“You won’t hear me saying bad things about President Biden,” Kennedy said. “I’m not going to attack him as a man.”
Instead, Kennedy said he is focused on policy disagreements, such as his differing views on war, censorship and COVID lockdowns.
He could be anti- the entire bill of rights. it’s about getting out the vote and party loyalty...He’s a shoo in as President if he is the Dem’s candidate.