Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy speaks at a voter rally at the Stanley Marketplace Hangar on May 19, 2024 in Aurora, Colorado. Mr. Kennedy spoke of his own plan to “restore the middle class, disentangle corporate control of government, and relieve communities.” He will bring in machines, end the epidemic of chronic disease, reduce the national debt, make housing affordable again, and protect constitutional rights. ” (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/Denver Post)
A raucous crowd of about 1,000 people packed into Aurora's Stanley Marketplace on Sunday to hear Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speak at the White House. Kennedy is not yet on Colorado's November ballot, but he is a presidential candidate and represents a presidential opportunity, he said. People should “vote based on hope and inspiration” rather than fear.
Kennedy began his speech by criticizing his absence from two recently scheduled presidential debates and pointing out that independent voters are by far the largest bloc in the U.S. electoral district. Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to debates, the first in June and the second in September.
“Don't you think an independent person should be on stage?” President Kennedy said to loud applause. “I think it's important that the American people be able to watch the presidential debates.”
Mr. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, announced last fall that he would run for president as an independent, eschewing his and his family's deep Democratic roots.
The Kennedy campaign says the son of U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated while running for the White House in 1968, has qualified to vote in seven states and has enough to vote in eight more. He claims to have collected a number of signatures. On Sunday, volunteers with clipboards tried to collect signatures from rally attendees demanding access to Colorado's ballots.
“We like Bobby, that's for sure,” said Greg Jones, who drove from Fort Collins with his wife to attend the rally in Aurora. “We are pleased to have candidates to replace the two existing candidates.”
His wife, Kathleen, said she liked President Kennedy's aversion to war.
“I think he's a champion of world peace,” she said. “I'm worried about a war with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and China, but I think Putin can stop it.”
President Kennedy questioned the wisdom of Congress' decision late last month to send $60 billion to Ukraine to aid the country in its ongoing war with Russia, asking, “Could that $60 billion be spent here in the United States?” he asked. He also blamed the rising national debt, which now stands at $34 trillion, and the roles of both Trump and Biden in its expansion.
“If we give them four more years, we're going to see more of the same thing, right? This is existential,” Kennedy told the crowd, many holding Kennedy vs. Shanahan placards.
In March, Kennedy chose California lawyer and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate.
President Kennedy had harsh words for the pharmaceutical industry, echoing his long-held skepticism about vaccine safety. He also questioned how effective Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden would be in managing the emerging and powerful field of artificial intelligence.
Political watchers wonder what role Kennedy might play in the November election if he wins all 50 states, and whether it will hurt Trump or Biden more. I'm trying to figure out if there's a chance it could help. A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted last week showed that in a five-way race that included candidates from smaller parties, Mr. Kennedy had an approval rating of 8% over Mr. Trump, and Mr. Biden had a 7% approval rating. %was.
But from the hangar stage at Stanley Marketplace, Kennedy dismissed the idea that he could be a spoiler, citing the results of a recent poll conducted by John Zogby Strategies. He said the poll showed that Mr. Trump narrowly beat him in head-to-head head-to-head competition, but that Mr. Biden easily won in head-to-head contests.
“I can win the race, so I can’t spoil it,” he said.
Supporters of both major political parties were in attendance Sunday. Jennifer Camp, 51, of Denbelito, said she usually votes Republican, but this year she wants to broaden her horizons.
“I wanted to come see a third-party candidate because I was fed up with the other two candidates,” she said.
Jill Stedronski, 62, a longtime Democrat, said she was so disillusioned with Biden that she would vote for Trump over the president. She said Democrats have let her down by supporting mandatory vaccinations in the name of fighting misinformation and by censoring her speech on social media platforms.
But her heart was first and foremost with Kennedy, and she admired his willingness to assume corporate power.
“I've been following his campaign for over a year and I love this guy,” said Stedronski, a Lakewood resident. “He is a great hope for this country.”
