21 Comments

Thanks, Reed. I tried to listen to a video conversation that RFK was having. Total gibberish. I couldn't understand one word. Just like a bad penny these types of folks keep popping up. Too much money and too much ego, ---horrible combination. All of them, including RFK, need to go home and stay there.

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Reed wrote:

*****Vaccines are the number one issue that will drive these voters away from Trump and toward Kennedy. RFK has long been a proponent of the (long debunked) theory that vaccines cause autism. His ‘running mate’ Nicole Shanahan believes this, too.

Trump, on the other hand, is vaxxed to the gills. He takes pride in Operation Warp Speed, and before he started getting booed at rallies, encouraged his audiences to get the Covid booster. These lost voters know that about Trump, and it’s only a matter of time before the trolls in RFK-land start reminding people of it.

The main ‘issues’ of the Kennedy campaign are those of the new right and MAGA, not moderate voters. They strike against both reality and how most Democrats, Independents, and a healthy number of non-Trump Republicans see the world. Calling Biden a ‘bigger threat to democracy than Trump’ isn’t likely to endear RFK to mainline Democrats.*****

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Color me skeptical that MAGA will turn against the 45th president on account of Warp Speed. After a handful of instances of boos, the 45th president heeded the signal and pivoted away from his long ago vaccine advocacy. I have no confidence whatsoever that reminders from trolls in RFK-land would have a significant effect.

True, RFK Jr. will not endear himself to mainline Democrats.

Also true: He may very well endear himself to unaffiliated voters who are unenthusiastic about both parties and their presumptive nominees and who might heed the siren song of this alternative.

Our democracy depends on the maximum number of voters who would not vote for the 45th president instead choosing to vote for President Biden. The inescapable truth is that the RFK Jr. alternative – same as the Jill Stein and Cornel West variants – whittles away at the voter support that Biden needs to prevail.

There is no room for complacency on this score.

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A mixed bag. In an interview last June, he took credit. More loudly, he sings the anti-mandate song.

While there is no way of knowing for sure, I am inclined to think that RFK Jr. is more likely to draw from the voters who *might* otherwise vote for Biden than from those who otherwise incline toward the 45th president.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-stopped-talking-operation-warp-speed-coronavirus-vaccine-1886093

*****He last took credit for the vaccine rollout during a campaign rally in Robstown, Texas, on October 22, 2022.

[...]

During a 2021 rally in Cullman, Alabama, Trump faced boos from his supporters after encouraging them to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

[...]

He was later booed during a December 2021 event in which he revealed he received a COVID-19 booster shot. Still, he continued to discuss Operation Warp Speed at most of his rallies throughout mid-2022, when discussions of the vaccines turned from taking credit to focusing on opposing mandates.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, former Trump aide and co-host on The View pointed out this shift on Monday.

"The single greatest accomplishment of the Trump administration was Operation Warp Speed, and getting the vaccine, and he doesn't talk about it because he wants to appeal to anti-vaxxers on the right, and not take credit for what actually helped us get out of the pandemic," she said.

Trump addressed why he does not discuss the COVID-19 vaccines in a June 2023 interview with Fox News host Bret Baier.

"I really don't want to talk about it because, as a Republican, it's not a great thing to talk about, because for some reason it's just not," Trump said.

He also pointed out in that interview that his administration successfully rolled out the vaccine much quicker than experts believed the vaccines would be made available to Americans.

"As you know, I got them done in nine months, and it was supposed to take anywhere from five to 12 years. I broke their a**," Trump said. "And you know who doesn't like me too much? The FDA. Because they were very bureaucratic, and I got it done."*****

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A comment from little ol' Marin County: As a mom living in Marin County, I don't know anyone who would vote for RFK or think of him as anything but a Bozo and would-be spoiler. But I do know many people doing everything they can to ensure a victory for our man Biden.

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Solid analysis - no critique. Suddenly the march to November feels like more fun :D

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RFKJr. needs a swift kick in the a#%‼️

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Maybe Trump will name him VP?

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Thanks Reed! I still view RFK Jr as a major threat to Biden because of the numbers.

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I am sincerely hoping that what you are projecting will occur. As for RFK Jr., he is the main reason that Dr. Peter Hotez, one of the finest virologists in the world who has dedicated his careers to saving lives, now has a security detail. Spew nonsense if you wish, but people like this lace their language with such vitriol that is spurs threats of violence and death against anyone they malign.

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excellent post, thank you, Reed...any thoughts on what would make Bobby drop out? will anything do it or is he in for the whole ride? since his donors have no expectation of his winning, maybe they don't desert him?

any chance Bobby's current strategy is to engage the "double haters." to go after both Biden and Trump and see what they can shake from each? but that won't work bc what draws from Trump will pi** off the ones who are closer to Dems in outlook, and vice versa.

anyway, so far we're not hearing a peep out of Jill Stein, Cornel West, or...has anyone checked on Marianne Williamson lately? is her campaign still un-suspended?

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Boredom, the work, ballot access, a mountain of oppo research on him (and Shanahan.)

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Lazy, lazy, lazy... Just wants to waltz around on his name. Keep up the oppo research on them. Good. Thanks, all.

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Even though I share his family name (no relation), I am totally against Kennedy. I am, however, curious about his main source of funding from the scion of the Mellon Bank family legacy. What is known about this?

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I tend to agree with Galen.

RFK jr is nuts. Of course he would attract other nuts. The vaccination issue is mostly passé.

Only Magas are nuts enough to vote for him.

Biden’s bigger problem is the other two spoilers. Seriously what are they trying to accomplish?

They need to drop out unless they want TFG re-elected.

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Cornwell West -> Cornel West

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My advice .. pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and let's get rolling!

https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/elections-advice-for-voters

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Let's stop worrying about them and get on 2026 prep, https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/elections-congressional-elections

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We are known by the company we keep.

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I just watched your excellent conversation with Ken Harbaugh. I hope you two find more time to discuss current events. Very enlightening and encouraging.

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