RFK Jr. concludes his campaign for the US presidency and lends his support to Trump

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, ceased his campaign on Friday and endorsed Republican Donald Trump. This concluded his presidential campaign, which he had initiated as a Democrat by capitalizing on one of the most renowned names in American politics.

According to strategists, it was uncertain whether Kennedy’s endorsement would be advantageous to Trump, who is currently engaged in a competitive race with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in anticipation of the November 5 election.

Kennedy stated that he had the opportunity to meet with Trump and his advisers on numerous occasions and discovered that they shared a common ground on matters such as the cessation of conflicts, free speech, and border security.

“There are still numerous issues and approaches that we continue to have significant disagreements on.” He stated at a news conference, “However, we are in agreement on other critical matters.”

Kennedy stated that he would withdraw his name from the ballot in 10 battleground states that are expected to influence the election’s outcome and continue to run as a candidate in other states.

As a challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in April 2023, Kennedy, an environmental advocate, anti-vaccine activist, and son and nephew of two titans of Democratic politics who were assassinated during the turbulent 1960s, entered the race.

Kennedy’s popularity increased as voters were disinclined to support either the legally troubled Trump or the geriatric Biden at that time. In November 2023, a Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that Kennedy earned the support of 20% of Americans in a three-way race with Biden and Trump after he changed his intentions and opted to run as an independent.

In the February 2024 Super Bowl, he ran a prominent advertisement that referenced his father, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle, President John F. Kennedy. This advertisement elicited indignation from a significant portion of his prominent family.

He was accused by his sister Kerry Kennedy of betraying the family’s values by endorsing Trump on Friday. She posted on social media, “It is a somber conclusion to a somber narrative.”

At one point, the Biden and Trump campaigns indicated that they were concerned that Kennedy could garner sufficient support to alter the election result.

But voter interest in Kennedy, 70, diminished as the race underwent rapid change over the past two months, culminating in Trump’s survival of an assassination attempt and the 81-year-old Biden’s decision to relinquish the campaign baton to Harris in response to pressure from his own party.

Early this month, an Ipsos poll revealed that his national support had decreased to 4%. Although this is a negligible figure, it could still be significant in a close contest like the current Trump-Harris face-off.

Donald Trump commemorated Kennedy’s endorsement during a campaign visit in Las Vegas. “I wish to express my gratitude to Bobby.” “That was quite complimentary,” Trump stated. “He’s a great guy, respected by everybody.”

Democrats dismissed the announcement with a shrug.

“Donald Trump is not attaining an endorsement that will contribute to his support base; rather, he is inheriting the baggage of a failed fringe candidate.” Goodbye,” declared Mary Beth Cahill, senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee, in a statement.

William Rosenberg, a political science professor at Drexel University, believed that the move was unlikely to have a significant impact on the election due to Kennedy’s low poll numbers. “If he would have done this three months ago, maybe it would have had a different kind of impact,” said the representative.

In the battleground states, Tony Fabrizio, a pollster for Trump, contended that a greater number of Kennedy’s supporters would endorse Trump than Harris. He wrote in a memo, “This is favorable news for President Trump and his campaign.”

On Wednesday, a super PAC that was supporting Kennedy disclosed to Reuters that Kennedy was anticipating a position in a potential Trump administration in exchange for publicly endorsing Trump.

Kennedy depicted himself as an interloper in the political arena. In a March interview with Reuters, he stated that if he were elected president, he would repeal numerous provisions of Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act and would endeavor to prohibit immigrants from entering the United States illegally by closing the southern border. In addition, he expressed his unwavering advocacy for Israel.

This election cycle, Timothy Mellon, an 82-year-old banking heir, has contributed millions of dollars to support Kennedy and $75 million to support Trump, according to Federal Election Commission filings through July 31.

Last month, a video of a phone exchange was posted online, in which Trump suggested to Kennedy that the independent candidate could take action to contribute to the Trump campaign.

BRAIN WORMS, BEAR

This month, Kennedy disclosed in an online video that he had discarded a deceased bear in Central Park in New York City a decade ago and had fabricated the scene to resemble a bicycle accident. After a former family caregiver accused him of sexual assault, he publicly declared that he had “so many skeletons in my closet.” He categorically denied that a photograph of him posing with the barbecued carcass of a large mammal belonged to a canine.

And then there was the cerebral worm. Kennedy’s campaign officially acknowledged that he had a parasite in his brain over a decade ago; however, he has since recovered completely, which has resulted in widespread ridicule.