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RFK Jr. Apologizes To His Family For Super Bowl Ad Invoking JFK
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Emily Elconin
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Getty Images
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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is apologizing to his family for a Super Bowl ad that harkened back to the 1960 presidential campaign of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.
"I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain," Kennedy said in a post on X, the website formally known as Twitter. "The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you."
Kennedy had developed a controversial political reputation as a longtime leader of the anti-vaccine movement, promoting baseless conspiracy theories. He first announced his candidacy last spring, vowing to challenge President Biden for the Democratic nomination, but ultimately pivoted to running as an Independent.
Our momentum is growing. It’s time for an Independent President to heal the divide in our country. 🇺🇸#Kennedy24 pic.twitter.com/6rwXW3AwAp
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 12, 2024
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The ad, which remains pinned to the top of Kennedy's X page, uses his uncle's campaign song, "Kennedy for Me," colorizing the original black and white video and adding images of the independent candidate.
The video, which was paid for by Kennedy's PAC, American Values 2024, cost $7 million to air during the Super Bowl on Sunday night.
"RFK Jr offers us real change along with freedom, trust and hope," super PAC co-founder Tony Lyons said in a statement to NPR. "Like his uncle and his father, Kennedy is a corruption-fighter, and it's no wonder the DNC is trying every old trick and inventing new tricks to stop him. The public sees through it all and won't stand for it," he added.
The ad release comes just days after the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, arguing Kennedy's super PAC violated campaign finance laws.
Kennedy remains a longshot candidate, though some political experts warn that a third-party candidate option could take votes away from the eventual Democratic and Republican candidates. In recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist polling, Kennedy pulls more votes from Trump-aligned voters, potentially benefiting Biden.
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The Kennedy family – who have long been associated with the Democratic party – have largely come out publicly against Kennedy's independent presidential bid and instead have said they will support Biden.
Listen to LAist's podcast episode about RFK Jr's positions
Listen
41:32
Conspiracy theories, once relegated to a subset of yoga and wellness communities, are being brought into the political mainstream through the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is campaigning for president on a mix of conspiracies from both the wellness world and the far right.
RFK Jr: The Presidential Candidate for Wellness Conspiracists?
Conspiracy theories, once relegated to a subset of yoga and wellness communities, are being brought into the political mainstream through the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is campaigning for president on a mix of conspiracies from both the wellness world and the far right.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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