America's revered political dynasty, the Kennedys, are seemingly closing ranks against one of their own: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been engulfed in controversy due to his anti-vaccination stance and allegations of racially charged comments.
As RFK Jr. navigates his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination against the sitting President, Joe Biden, the 69-year-old environmental attorney finds himself increasingly isolated within his famed family. The consensus seems to be a deep concern that he could besmirch the legacy of his father, Bobby Kennedy, and diminish the monumental achievements of his uncles, President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.
Recent remarks by RFK Jr., suggesting that "COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people" while Jews and Chinese are "most immune," have been met with widespread condemnation. Many accuse him of promoting racist and anti-Semitic ideologies, even though he fervently maintains that his comments have been misconstrued.
Adding fuel to the family's exasperation, Jack Schlossberg, the 30-year-old son of JFK’s daughter, U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, openly voiced his displeasure. “I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is his candidacy is an embarrassment! He’s trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame.”
A rift was also evident when RFK Jr. previously advocated for the parole of Sirhan Sirhan, convicted of assassinating his father in 1968. This move, combined with his doubts about Sirhan's guilt, sent shockwaves through the Kennedy lineage.
In a telling sign of the deepening divide, numerous members of the Kennedy family, including Schlossberg, his mother, and others, have publicly endorsed President Biden's re-election campaign. The list of those distancing themselves also includes former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Victoria Kennedy, and notably RFK Jr.'s elder brother, former Rep. Joe Kennedy. In fact, recent polls have shown that RFK Jr. has only garnered a mere 14% support within the Democratic Party.
An insider shared, “Joe was a holdout, but even he has turned on Bobby and is leading the charge to make it clear he doesn’t speak for the family.” Most strikingly, reports suggest that the matriarch of the Kennedy clan, 95-year-old Ethel Kennedy, RFK's widow, has advised her family to publicly repudiate his contentious views.
“Ethel sees condemning Bobby’s crazy ideas and rejecting his candidacy as the only way to save the family’s reputation from the trash heap of history,” a close Kennedy associate commented. It appears the collective sentiment within the family resonates with a desire to protect the Kennedy name and its place in American history.