Posted on 05/07/2024 8:12:19 AM PDT by RandFan
Former President Trump is taking concrete steps to deprive Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of oxygen as they compete for a portion of the same voters.
Trump is going to the Libertarian Party national convention this month and criticized Kennedy, who is running as an independent but who has ties to the party, as “not a serious candidate.”
Republicans also pounced on the “unhinged” Kennedy last week for saying “red state people are more likely to murder you.”
The strong anti-Kennedy sentiment from Trump’s orbit comes as polling suggests the independent could take support from the former president, who is looking to galvanize the anti-establishment lane to win the White House.
“Are there lunatics that won’t vote for Biden? Are there lunatics that won’t vote for Trump?” mused a former Trump campaign adviser. “Yeah, it’s a third option.”
Many Republicans believe Kennedy, an ex-Democrat whose family has enthusiastically endorsed Biden, will likely take more votes from the incumbent president than his predecessor. They predict Kennedy’s still-forming base is coming from displeased Democrats who don’t want to support an octogenarian they see as ineffective. Some, they also hope, still respect the Kennedy name.
“I think Kennedy’s going to pull real numbers,” the former Trump adviser added, expecting more to come from Biden’s coalition.
But Trump is covering his bases nonetheless
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
We’ll know if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becomes a real threat to Democrats.
They’ll have him .... ummmm, err...”taken out of the way.” /shiny side out
Smart move by Trump.
RFK says lots of good things regarding the deep-state, censorship, Fed.gov abuse of power, never-ending wars, bloated debt
but he’s still a leftist - conservatives ignore his position on abortion, nationalized health-care, welfare, race politics.
Like all leftists, he wants a massive, bloated, activist Federal Government, but acts surprised when it tramples our basic rights and blows out deficits.
Team Trump should float the idea that If Biden refuses to debate him, he will debate Kennedy to get his message out.
That would be hilarious.
Because he wants to be the one in charge of the Deep State.
RFK Jr. is kooky.
And not in a good way for Trump.
>conservatives ignore his position on abortion, nationalized health-care, welfare, race politics.
Don’t forget he’s pro gun rights infringements.
For anyone with any knowledge at all of 20th Century history, that is a complete non-starter.
since Joe pushed him out of Dem party, rejected SService protection despite Kennedy family history, i’d say Joe is the one cutting off the oxygen.
you pretty much nailed it succinctly
I dont ignore those bad positions .I always mention them.
Still think he takes more lefty votes than anything else.
If the Democrats were an honest party, RFK would be cake walking to the white house right now, and I say that as a Trump supporter... had they nominated him, he would handily win the white house.
However, RFK, much like Trump, is not beholden to the globalist, uniparty oligarchy... so, he they pushed him out. In fact they lit up on him harder and faster than I haver EVER seen anyone get lit up.. calling him an existential threat almost immediately when he began getting press early in the cycle.
However, RFK cannot be president because he’s not on board with all their crap... Yes he’s a liberal, make no mistake about it, but he’s NOT owned, lock stock and barrel by the system and its backers... so, why replace a complete puppet that has no idea what is going on or where he is, with someone who’s not on the team?
At this point RFK independent run is looking like its going to be the largest independent vote grabber since Perot, only this time, the majority of this vote will be coming from previous Biden supporters.
Trump is wise to do what he can to minimize RFK’s appeal, he’s a died in the wool liberal, but his general campaign messaging is almost exactly the same as Trumps... Basically RFK is offering the same “Government’s not working for you, and I’ll make sure it does” messaging. RFK uses more intellectual terminology like “captive agencies” and such, but at the end of the day he’s saying the same thing.
I don’t see many conservatives moving to RFK, however, the disenfranchised and fed up democrats who will vote for Trump and a lot of independents will be open to voting for him.
I don’t see any math where in a 3 way race, RFK is not more of a net negative to Biden, however, he certainly will draw some voters who would be for Trump if RFK isn’t in the race, so, Trump is wise to do what he can to minimize this segment, and work to maximize the other one.
agreed
Trump is going to have to come out and say “I was wrong” on the Covid vax and lockdowns.
A few Trump supporters might vote for RFK maybe since RFK’s positions are, well, so electic
that they may find something they like in them
but RFK is a far leftist (take a peek at his choice for Veep!) and thus he will suck tons of votes away from the vertical corpse now Occupying our White House
I am not a political campaign expert (a fact that should be obvious by now, ha ha) but I think RFK can only help Trump?
Not even a debate. A “forum” featuring both candidates.
I wonder what he will say at the LP
big deal this..
Great post / analysis
You need to save this and copy/paste it whenever RFK comes up in the next 6 months
I’m interested to see what Donald says at the LP I think he will stress the need to get rid of Biden and to vote for him.
I dont even know if the LP have a candidate yet. Certainly no one recognizable
“Don’t forget he’s pro gun rights infringements.”
That seems like a minor quibble these days when you have the majority in both parties supporting legislation that abrogates the 1st amendment.
What’s the LP?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.