Apologies for my absence, it has been a busy week with exams. I have also unfortunately gotten sick. I hope everyone else is having a good week, and will have a happy Easter weekend. Now, let us begin.

The Kennedy Enigma

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the wild card of this election year. He is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was John F. Kennedy’s brother as well as his Attorney General.

Kennedy was considered to be one of the most progressive politicians in US history, and ultimately was assassinated while he was running for the Democratic nomination for president in 1968.

His son has decided to take on the Kennedy mantle and run for president himself. At first, he decided to enter the race as a Democrat, like his father. However, he exited the Democratic primary after complaints with the DNC and the Biden campaign.

These complains included concerns over security, as he was denied secret service protection, a luxury provided for presidential candidates. Given his family history, this concern is warranted.

In the end, he decided to pull out of the Democratic primary process and filed his campaign as independent. A smart move, as he would have never won the Democratic nomination with an incumbent running, despite consistently polling in the double digits.

Aside from one issue, Kennedy is a progressive liberal running separately from the Democratic Party. Despite the Biden campaign initially claiming otherwise, polling has consistently shown Kennedy’s campaign biting into the President’s coalition.

Kennedy is still working to get ballot access in multiple states, but should he succeed, it will be a problem for the President. This is even more shown by his new running mate, which doused any hopes that he would ever appeal to right-wing or conservative voters.

Who is Nicole Shanahan?

Enter Nicole Shanahan, a California lawyer and political donor. She has made numerous contributions to Democratic campaigns, among them Joe Biden’s 2020 run.

She has also contributed to Los Angeles County DA George Gascon, a person I have criticized multiple times for his soft on crime policies. She has also endorse Los Angeles’ Measure J, which redirects funds from law enforcement to social services.

Shanahan is also a believer in radical action on climate change as well as ending oil dependence, as well as being an advocate for bail reform and abortion rights.

You could say that she is what Marianne Williamson would have been like had Williamson had a load of cash. This is also probably why Kennedy chose her, so he could have a cash boost that his campaign needs.

In essence, she is the typical embodiment of the “limousine liberal” that Americans have come to know over the past few decades. I suppose it is appropriate, as the Kennedy family were also of that group anyhow, even before JFK became president.

What Does This Mean?

Kennedy choosing Shanahan means that he is looking to cut into Biden’s coalition. If you are a Democrat disillusioned with Joe Biden, but cannot bring yourself to support Stein or West, Kennedy provides a safe off ramp and protest.

This is good news for Donald Trump, as there were rumors that Kennedy would choose someone who could be more amicable to conservatives who can’t stomach him.

If I were the Trump campaign, I would start doing my best to get RFK Jr. on every swing state ballot. I would be doing that for the Stein and West campaigns as well.

Joe Biden has a big problem this year. He is running with a fractured coalition, with the left having other options, while Donald Trump is running with a consolidated right.

The only way that Joe Biden can win this year is if he is an electoral juggernaut of Reagan proportions, which he has proven not to be. The third parties have seen blood in the water from Biden, and they are coming to sweep up the stragglers.

The fact that Biden is still struggling against Trump even with Trump being tied up in court should be a massive wake up call for his campaign. If the guy who has an iron ball and chain is somehow managing to outrun you, that’s a problem.

Conclusion

I would not write off this pick as a joke. She has the cash needed to accelerate the process of ballot access in key states. I am not voting for him, but Kennedy is running a smart and pragmatic campaign.

Anyone who laughs at them will be doing so at their own peril. I do not believe that they will end up winning the election, but I do believe that they, along with West and Stein, may end up allowing Trump to return to the White House.

Joe Biden, if he had any ounce of strategic thinking at all, would realize that he is fighting a four front war. Trump may have the biggest army, but the smaller armies will bite away at Biden’s flanks should he fail to combat them as well.