An ad supporting conspiracy-theorist-turned-presidential-candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aired Sunday during the Super Bowl. But it doesn’t take a conspiracy theorist to see that the right-wing donor behind it is trying to hurt President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign.
The 30-second ad was paid for by a super PAC called American Values 2024, which supports Kennedy’s candidacy. American Values 2024 is largely funded by pro-Trump megadonor Timothy Mellon, whose self-published autobiography was reportedly littered with racial stereotypes. Democrats even filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission recently, saying the group is illegally providing aid to Kennedy’s campaign by helping his efforts to get on the ballot. American Values 2024 said the claims are meant to “defame Kennedy, vilify him and drain his campaign funds.”
Nonetheless, the ad the group just bought to back Kennedy looks nearly identical to an ad used by John F. Kennedy, RFK Jr.’s uncle, in his 1960 presidential campaign.
Here’s the ad promoting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
And here is John F. Kennedy’s original.
There’s been some fallout as a result of the ad.
Kennedy’s relatives had already denounced his career as an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, his 2024 campaign and his invocation of their family name to legitimize himself politically. But the family feud continued Sunday, when RFK Jr.’s cousins Bobby and Mark Shriver took issue with the ad using an image of their mother, Eunice, who was JFK’s sister.
My cousin’s Super Bowl ad used our uncle’s faces- and my Mother’s. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA. She strongly supported my health care work at @ONECampaign & @RED which he opposes.
— Bobby Shriver (@bobbyshriver) February 12, 2024
Kennedy released an apology Sunday night saying the ad was created without his campaign’s involvement or approval, though that didn’t stop him from promoting it on his X account in a post that was still up Monday afternoon.
I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain. The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 12, 2024
The Super Bowl ad is another reminder that Kennedy’s independent bid has deep-pocketed right-wingers in its corner, a fact that’s fueled claims that his campaign is meant to spoil Biden’s re-election chances by getting some wary liberal voters to cast ballots for Kennedy instead. And this ad won’t quiet those claims.
To put things in perspective: A right-wing donor plunged millions of dollars into propping up a pro-Kennedy super PAC that spent $7 million to imply to hundreds of millions of people that RFK Jr. is something he very clearly isn’t: a shepherd of his father and uncle’s liberal legacy.
Take a step back, and this seems like a clear spoiler campaign.
Keep in mind: Kennedy was reportedly encouraged to run for president by Trump adviser Steve Bannon. And Kennedy makes frequent appearances with right-wing figures and on far-right media platforms. So one thing is quite clear: There are some rich and powerful people invested in making Robert F. Kennedy Jr. out to be a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat with political clout. It’s just suspicious that many of these people are Republicans.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.