- A Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. staff member reportedly told a group of New York Republicans that having the independent presidential candidate on the state's election ballot would reportedly help "get rid of Biden." CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)
- The video shows a self-described Kennedy campaign staff member, Rita Palma, claiming that Trump could only win New York in the 2024 Presidential Election by having "Bobby in the mix" as part of a wider strategy to "block Biden from winning the presidency." Forbes (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Palma described Biden as the "mutual enemy" of both RFK Jr. and Trump voters, noting that while she was "going to vote for Bobby," she would not be "overly upset" if Trump won in November. politico.com
- In response to the video, the RFK Jr. campaign stated that Palma was "not involved in electoral strategy," noting that the talk "was not a campaign event" and that the proclaimed New York state director of the Kennedy campaign was "speaking as a private citizen." CBS (LR: 2 CP: 5)
- The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has claimed that the video showed "the quiet part out loud," alleging that the RFK Jr. campaign was "a spoiler for Donald Trump." Democrats
- According to RealClearPolitics' election polling averages, RFK Jr. is currently polling at 11.7% compared to Trump's 41.0% and Pres. Biden's 35.7%. RealClearPolling
Narrative A:
- Kennedy's continued presence in 2024's election race may well put Trump back in the White House. Having been aided by the influence of minor parties in the 2016 election, the former president will benefit not only from Kennedy but also from names such as Jill Stein and Cornel West — who are destined to eat away at Biden's progressive voter bases. Despite the White House's continued optimism, the influence of third-party candidates remains a considerable detriment to Biden's campaign.
USA TODAY (LR: 3 CP: 5)
Narrative B:
- Although Kennedy's pro-Trump stance has been long suspected, RFK Jr. is certainly not only a danger to Pres. Biden. While Trump was once amicable towards RFK Jr.'s campaign, recent spats against the independent candidate suggest that MAGA Republicans are feeling the heat. There's currently no way to know how a third significant name on the ballot will affect voting in November — Trump is by no means out of the woods.
HUFFINGTON POST (LR: 1 CP: 4)
Establishment-critical narrative:
- Kennedy is a candidate admired by disenfranchised Republicans and Democrats alike, and despite the restrictions of America's two-party system, the RFK Jr. campaign has gained traction. The US is destined to continue down the wrong path if either Trump or Biden enters the White House once again — Kennedy has a real opportunity come November to begin America's much-needed healing process.
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC
Nerd narrative:
- There is a 1% chance that RFK Jr. will be elected US President in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)