If there’s any good news for President Biden, after a poor debate performance that elicited calls for him to exit the presidential race, it’s all the bad news out there about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate who is considered a potential spoiler.
According to a report in Vanity Fair, Kennedy allegedly shared photos of nude women while married to his second wife; texted a photo of himself with the “barbecued remains” of what he suggested was a dog; and in the 1990s, allegedly groped a babysitter who was working for his family. His response to the sexual misconduct allegations is not exactly a denial. In the podcast “Breaking Points” he said, “I am not a church boy. … I am who I am.” On X, Kennedy said the animal remains in the photo were that of a goat, not a dog, and the photo was taken in Patagonia, not Korea. On X, Kennedy also said, “The [Democratic National Convention] media’s garbage pail journalism may distract us from President Biden’s cognitive deficits but it does little to elevate the national debate or reduce the price of groceries.”
It’s no secret Democrats are focused on neutralizing the threat of a third-party candidacy, having learned the lesson of ignoring it in 2000, when Green Party candidate Ralph Nader was blamed for Al Gore’s loss of Florida, and the presidency, to George W. Bush.
In April, the DNC created what Politico described as a “first-of-its-kind unit, hiring staffers specifically dedicated to disabling Kennedy and other third-party candidates.” To that end, Federal Election Commission complaints were filed against Kennedy and a political action committee that supports him. According to Politico, “Democratic outside groups are also working to dig up dirt on Kennedy and his newly named running mate, Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist.”
Since then, The New York Times has reported that Kennedy faced previously undisclosed health issues, including a dead worm in his brain. The source for the disclosure was a 2012 deposition, which Kennedy gave during divorce proceedings from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy.
The Times also published an extensive report on Shanahan, the running mate with a “fortune of more than $1 billion” stemming from a divorce settlement with Sergey Brin, a founder of Google. According to the Times, “During their five-year marriage, Ms. Shanahan partied with Silicon Valley’s elite and used recreational drugs including cocaine, ketamine and psychedelic mushrooms.”
The report also said that Shanahan and Brin separated after she had a sexual encounter with Elon Musk, which Musk has previously denied. The Times said its reporting was based “on more than 20 people who know [Shanahan] or were briefed on her actions,” as well as on property records, court documents, tax records, emails, and other messages. In response to questions for the article, Shanahan said, “I’m shocked the NYT is letting you run something like this.” The Times reported that Kennedy’s campaign did not comment at the time, nor did Musk or his attorney.
Of course, any serious presidential candidate and their running mate are rightly subjected to serious scrutiny and these reports are deeply and independently sourced. It’s also true that Kennedy’s relatives have been speaking out regularly against his presidential run and offering critiques that are not helpful to his campaign. In the Vanity Fair story, for example, one unnamed family member refers to Kennedy’s “savior complex.” Asked to share insight into her brother’s motives and psychology, Kerry Kennedy said, “Well, you need to have a degree, which I don’t have.”
Kennedy did not make the cut for the debate that turned out to be so disastrous for Biden. According to media reports, he did not gain traction after the Biden debacle and a New York Times/Siena College poll released in the days after the debate showed him at 8 percent support. Yet he is still considered the “X Factor” in the 2024 race, with the potential to draw young voters unhappy with Biden and Donald Trump.
While Kennedy is known for his affinity for conspiracy theories, his own family seems to have promoted the idea of a conspiracy to get him. According to the Vanity Fair story, a Kennedy relative warned the candidate he would become “the target of a Democratic machine that would have no choice but to destroy him.” To that, Kennedy replied, “They’ve already destroyed me.” And to that, the relative responded, “No, they haven’t. They haven’t come close.”
Whatever the source, bad news about Kennedy is good news for Biden — and for any Democrat who may replace him.
Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at joan.vennochi@globe.com. Follow her @joan_vennochi.
