Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to the situation involving his friend, actor Woody Harrelson, who may not be fully aware of the controversy he ignited by donning a Kennedy 2024 hat. This gesture appeared to signal support for Kennedy’s potential Democratic presidential primary campaign against President Biden.
Harrelson, known for his engagement in political discussions, was captured wearing a Kennedy 2024 cap in a photo shared on Instagram by Kennedy’s spouse, actress Cheryl Hines, last Thursday.
The apparent endorsement of Kennedy’s primary challenge, coming from Harrelson, raised a storm on social media and drew criticism from numerous progressives. This move drew attention due to Kennedy’s identity as an environmental attorney, vocal critic of COVID vaccines, and a member of one of America’s most prominent political dynasties.
“I’ve texted with him. You know, he’s very hard to get a hold of. He’s been a friend for many, many years. He’s very close to me and Cheryl,” Kennedy told Fox News during a Saturday evening interview at the Iowa State Fair. “One thing is he doesn’t like cell phones. It’s conceivable that he does not know about all of the controversy. He doesn’t watch TV. He doesn’t have his cell phone and he’s kind of off the grid.”
This represents the inaugural instance of Kennedy embarking on a campaign visit to Iowa after declaring his candidacy for the presidency. He has previously focused his efforts on campaigning in New Hampshire. For nearly half a century, these two states have held significant roles as the starting points for elections, commencing the presidential nominating schedules for both major political parties.
While Republicans have adhered to a traditional primary and caucus timetable for this election cycle, Democrats have introduced significant changes to their calendar. New Hampshire has been shifted lower in the sequence, and Iowa has been entirely omitted from the roster of early voting states. It is anticipated that both states will conduct nomination contests that are not officially endorsed by the Democratic National Committee. President Biden is unlikely to engage in campaign activities in either of these states during the primary season.
“I think it’s unfortunate for our country,” Kennedy told Fox News, commenting on Biden’s absence from both states. “It’s been a tradition. These are the two states that really force candidates to go through this process of retail politics. To go to the nail salons, to go to the diners, to come to the county fairs and actually meet people and understand what’s happening with America.”
“There’s a temptation for politicians to stay at home, take a bunch of checks from billionaires, and then carpet bomb the country from 30-thousand feet with advertisements and not really ever have to understand what’s happening to the American people right now,” Kennedy argued, adding that “these are the only two states where you have to do retail politics – New Hampshire and Iowa. The people here want to shake your hand. They want to look you in the eye.”
