The Kennedy family is reportedly backing President Biden over their own family member in the 2024 Democratic primary, CNN reported.
Multiple Kennedy family members signaled that they would not back Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his bid for the Democratic nominee for president, according to interviews with CNN. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, filed paperwork earlier this month to run in the 2024 primary and challenge Biden, who has yet to formally announce a reelection campaign.
Kennedy is expected to officially launch his campaign Wednesday in Boston.
“Which brother?” Chris Kennedy, who was a former candidate in the Illinois governor’s race, responded when asked by CNN what he thought of his brother’s bid for the White House.
“This is a difficult situation for me. I love my older brother Bobby. He has extraordinary charisma and is a very gifted speaker,” Rory Kennedy, the youngest child of Robert F. Kennedy, said to CNN. “I admire his past work as an environmentalist – because of him, we can swim in the Hudson. But due to a wide range of Bobby’s positions, I’m supporting President Biden.”
Former Maryland Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, sister to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., told CNN that she will not talk about her brother’s bid. However, Kennedy Townsend, who now works in the Labor Department, has made her thoughts about her brother’s stances on vaccines clear, saying in an essay in Politico Magazine that he is part of “a misinformation campaign that’s having heartbreaking—and deadly—consequences.”
“It has been my difficult choice to put my principles ahead of my personal affections for the President which remain undiminished. Some members of my family agree with me and others do not. I bear them no ill will. Families can disagree and still love each other. We hold that possibility for the entire country too,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement to CNN.
CNN also reported that Kerry Kennedy, who heads the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation, said that her brother’s views do not represent or influence the organization.
“I love my brother Bobby, but I do not share or endorse his opinions on many issues, including the COVID pandemic, vaccinations, and the role of social media platforms in policing false information,” Kerry Kennedy said.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heads the Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization that often promotes unproven theories about the safety of vaccines. It has faced strong criticism for its views and had its Facebook page taken down for “repeatedly” violating the platform’s polices on COVID-19 and vaccine policies.
Author Marianne Williamson also announced a campaign to run in the Democratic race for the White House last month.
–Updated on April 17 at 8:18 a.m.