I try to ignore really foolish thoughts. But occasionally, I'll read something so foolish that I just have to comment on it.
Douglas MacKinnon, who worked in both the Reagan and Bush 41 White Houses, believes Robert Kennedy, Jr. will be the Democratic Party's nominee in 2024.
To be fair, MacKinnon does have a modicum of self-awareness and recognizes the absurdity of his thesis when he writes, "Cue the laughter and the prejoratives."
MacKinnon believes RFK, Jr. will win the nomination in part because he believes President Biden will drop out of the race due to concerns over his age. He bases this on polls and because of Hillary Clinton's recent statement that voters ought to take Biden's age into consideration. Mind you, this is the same Hillary Clinton who does not believe 89-year old California Senator Dianne Feinstein should not retire from office despite her serious health problems including those which have affected her short-term memory.
Frankly, this is just wishful thinking on MacKinnon's part. Biden is running and so is Trump. Anyone who claims to be concerned about Biden being 80 but not concerned about Trump about to turn 77 next month is being disingenuous.
But let's humor MacKinnon and say Biden does inexplicably withdraw from the race? What makes MacKinnon think Democrats will turn to a guy who thinks Tucker Carlson is "breathtakingly courageous"? MacKinnon also defends RFK, Jr. as someone who "dared to question the lockdowns, masking and vaccine mandates that came in the wake of the COVID-19 virus." Again, what makes MacKinnon think a majority of Democratic primary voters are going to support who not only opposed COVID measures but invoked the Nazis in doing so? Such rhetoric makes indistinguishable from Marjorie Taylor Greene, a figure loathed by Democrats. Indeed, RFK, Jr. just saw fit to defend Roger Waters' anti-Semitic behavior in Germany.
MacKinnon adds the mystique of the Kennedy name while also likening him to Jimmy Carter. I can tell you the Kennedy name does not carry the same weight it once did. Just ask Joe Kennedy III after he unsuccessfully challenged Ed Markey for the Senate here in Massachusetts in 2020. RFK, Jr's nephew lost to Markey by double digits.
As for Carter, MacKinnon says RFK, Jr. reminds him of the 39th President because the media also ignored him. The media ignored Carter simply because he was largely unknown at the time. The same cannot be said for RFK, Jr. As MacKinnon acknowledges, RFK, Jr. has the Kennedy name. He is trying to have it both ways but ends up with nothing at all. In the grand scheme of things, I don't think RFK, Jr. will be any more successful against Biden than Ted Kennedy was in challenging Carter in 1980.
Whether MacKinnon likes it or not, President Biden is going to be the Democratic Party standard bearer come hell or high water.
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