Staff Reports
In the recent news, there has been quite the commotion in Phoenix as hundreds of folks gathered to hear a speech by the one and only Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The interesting part? These folks had very little in common, except for one thing – their deep distrust of the media, corporations, and the government. Ah, don’t we love a good conspiracy theory? These people were all about spouting their “deep-seated distrust” and holding onto the belief that Kennedy is the only politician out there who’s willing to serve up the truth on a silver platter.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. draws Biden and Trump voters united by distrust in battleground Arizona https://t.co/6SHPEOz7qz pic.twitter.com/KbcS50EK7a
— New York Post (@nypost) December 25, 2023
Now, we’ve got some folks who are just tired of the same old politicians feeding them bits and pieces of information to fit their own agenda. One fella, Gilbert Limon, a 48-year-old pharmacist from Phoenix, said, “I’ve had enough of that.” He’s not alone in feeling that way. The idea of a Biden-Trump rematch isn’t exactly sparking a fire in people’s bellies, and with alternatives like Kennedy and the No Labels third-party movement heating up the scene, there’s some real potential for a game-changer in the 2024 election.
But hold up, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Mr. Kennedy has a bit of a mountain to climb before he can make any serious waves in the election. He’s got to rack up at least a million signatures across the country to even get on the ballot. And let me tell you, folks, that’s no small feat. But fear not, he’s got a team of aides working their tails off to make it happen. They’re out there mingling with the crowd, filling up his petitions to qualify in Arizona. With a famous last name like Kennedy’s and a strong network of supporters, he just might have a fighting chance.
Campaigning for an independent candidacy ain’t no walk in the park, my friends. Ballot access for independent and minor-party candidates is a costly and complicated process, with each state laying down its own set of rules. But hey, the American Values 2024 super PAC is throwing around $15 million to help Kennedy get on the ballot in 10 states. That’s a whole lotta dough! And wouldn’t you know it, Kennedy even scored a victory in Utah, where they pushed back the deadline to qualify after he filed a lawsuit. Now that’s some good old-fashioned American grit right there.
Now let’s talk about Kennedy’s ties to the far right. Yep, you heard that right, the far right. His views sure do find a cozy home there. Oh, and did I mention he’s buddy-buddy with some anti-vaccine activists? Kennedy has quite the following of folks who say, “No thank you” to the idea that vaccines are safe and effective. They’re the backbone of his campaign, and they’re not shy about it.
Kennedy is fully aware that his fans would rather pick up news from alternative sources online than bother with the mainstream media and their pesky fact-checking. And you know what? He’s leaning into it, especially when it comes to young folks who are all about those podcasts and alternative sources. Maybe that’s where all the real juicy gossip is!
Now, we all know that third-party or independent candidates usually don’t stand a chance in presidential races. Remember Ross Perot in ’92? Yeah, not a single electoral vote, despite snagging 19% of the popular vote. Then there’s Ralph Nader in 2000 and Jill Stein in 2016 – both Green Party candidates who took enough votes to send partisans into a frenzy.
