President Joe Biden may have to brace himself for unexpected turbulence within his party. Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has surprisingly declined to commit his support to Biden, should the latter win the party’s nomination. This audacious statement, made during a NewsNation town hall event on Wednesday, could significantly stir the political waters.
In response to whether he would pledge loyalty to Biden, Kennedy responded firmly, “Of course, I’m not going to do that. And I don’t have a plan B.” His refusal to bow to party pressure could send shockwaves through the Democratic establishment.
Kennedy remains open to all possibilities — he hasn’t ruled out backing Biden eventually, nor has he dismissed the idea of running as an independent candidate or accepting a third-party nomination. His game plan is flexible and refreshingly candid: “I don’t know what I’ll do. Let’s see what happens in this campaign. Let’s see if people are living up to Democratic values, and having debates, and having discussions,” he further explained.
Current polls show Kennedy, a veritable dissident within his party, holding significant sway that could disrupt Biden’s plans. Garnering as much as 17% support from primary voters in some surveys, Kennedy, together with Marianne Williamson, could account for over a quarter of the vote, as evidenced by a Fox News poll.
This presents a thorny issue for the Democratic National Committee, which has opted not to organize any primary debates for alternate candidates to challenge Biden. In contrast, the Republican National Committee requires candidates participating in party-sanctioned debates to pledge eventual support for the eventual Republican nominee, as reported by Axios.
Kennedy has not been shy in expressing his criticisms of the Biden administration. The younger Kennedy, son of a senator and former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, has taken aim at Biden’s corporate ties and questioned his record on civil liberties and corruption.
Whether or not his refusal to toe the party line will be a boon or a curse remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Kennedy’s approach underscores the diversity of thought within the Democratic Party and challenges the status quo, making the presidential race all the more riveting.
