Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently blasted former President Donald Trump on his response to the pandemic. He sought to court votes from Libertarian Party members and bolster his independent presidential bid via Yahoo.
“Trump presided over the greatest restriction of individual liberties this country has ever known. He did not stand up for the Constitution when it really mattered,” Kennedy said Friday at the Libertarian National Committee’s convention in Washington.
“Maybe a brain worm ate that part of my memory, but I don’t recall any part of the United States Constitution that creates an exemption for pandemics,” he said to laughter, referencing his claim that in 2010 he suffered from a parasitic worm and that it ate a portion of his brain.
Kennedy’s speech was the latest storm in an increasingly heated clash between him and Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, as his independent campaign threatens the hopes of the major party candidates.
It has been noted that with a national polling average near 10%, Kennedy is potentially the best-performing third-party presidential candidate in three decades. The outcome of the election could depend on whether Kennedy draws more support away from Trump or President Joe Biden.
Both Trump and Kennedy have been eager to court Libertarian support with Trump also scheduled to address the party convention on Saturday. Inviting outside candidates to a convention is unheard of even for a minor party, and has divided Libertarians. The convention will nominate its own candidate for president on Sunday. Trump and Kennedy are not among the candidates formally seeking the party’s bid.
In his speech, Kennedy slammed both Trump and Biden. However, he directed his most pointed criticism at the Republican, saying he would force Trump “to defend his attacks on the Constitution” if he qualifies for a CNN-sponsored debate on June 27.
Trump has cast Libertarians, who tend to draw votes from Republican candidates and have polled as high as 3.7% in recent elections, as critical to expanding his coalition. “We have to join with them,” Trump said in Dallas last week.
Where Trump sees a threat, Kennedy sees an opportunity. The former Democrat has made third parties — and their voters across the political spectrum — a key part of his strategy.
