By Trevor Hunnicutt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – More than 15 members of the legendary Kennedy political family will support the U.S. president Joe Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday in rebuke of Robert F. Kennedy Jr‘s independent bid for office.
Biden, a Democrat, is facing a Republican Donald Trump in a rematch of the 2020 elections in November. But members of both parties have weighed in on the possibility that… Kennedya prominent anti-vaccine activist or another third-party bid could spoil their chances.
Kennedy, son of assassinated U.S. senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, made his name as an environmental lawyer before becoming known as an anti-vaccine advocate with an eclectic mix of political views. He is supported by 15% of registered voters, compared to 39% for Biden and 38% for Trump, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Many in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s elite family – prominent Democrats since the 19th century – have broken with him over his views.
“I can only imagine how Donald Trump’s outrageous lies and behavior would have shocked my father, Robert F. Kennedy,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s younger sister. Kerry Kennedy will say at the Biden campaign event, according to prepared remarks. “Dad stood for equal justice, human rights, and freedom from want and fear. Just like President Biden does today.”
Kerry Kennedy and other members of the family are then expected to join local volunteers to knock on doors and do phone banking on Biden’s behalf, campaign officials said.
The event comes as Biden spends his third day this week in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state for his re-election bid. Biden needs a strong turnout from Philadelphia’s black community to win the state, and the Kennedys became icons for many African-American families for their advocacy for civil rights.
Biden, only the second Catholic president after that John F Kennedyhas spoken at length about how he was inspired by the family’s political legacy.
In his 2007 book “Promises to Keep,” Biden describes himself as a young man whom the Kennedy brothers and the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. enormity of their improbable dreams.” A bust of President Kennedy stands in the Oval Office.
When Biden was later elected to Congress, dude Senator Ted Kennedy would become one of his best friends. Ted, John and Robert Sr. were brothers.
The family ties continued in the years that followed. Dozens of members of the Irish-American family joined Biden at the White House for St. Patrick’s Day last month.
Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the assassinated president, was appointed ambassador to Australia by Biden. She had been ambassador to Japan under Democratic President Barack Obama.
“I have a big family,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Reuters last month. “Many of them are working on my campaign. Not everyone agrees with me.”
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; additional reporting by Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Mary Milliken and Leslie Adler)
