- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared to have technical difficulties during his campaign announcement.
- Kennedy frantically searched for a script of his explanation for his independent campaign.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s major announcement on Monday that he was running as an independent for president was briefly sidelined by a moment that would have been better suited to actress Cheryl Hines' "Curb Your Enthusiasm," minus the reliance on an actual script.
Kennedy approached the stage patting his pockets before telling someone off-stage, "I need my speech." As supporters chanted, "All the Way RFK," a nod to President Kennedy's famous slogan, Kennedy could be heard telling someone, "I can't read anything." It's not immediately clear what the issue was, but the teleprompter likely had issues as Kennedy complained, "It's upside down."
With his speech in hand, Kennedy returned to the stage to continue his announcement. Once a long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful, Kennedy now has his sights set on becoming the first major independent presidential hopeful since environmental activist Ralph Nader in 2000.
Kennedy initially rose to fame as an environmental lawyer, but he reached another level with anti-vaccine skepticism, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is married to Hines, who has co-starred in Larry David's long-running "Curb Your Enthusiasm. David's show is famously almost entirely unscripted, operating on outlines to spur improv for its hilarious scenes.
The US has effectively become a two-party nation, making it almost impossible for non-Republican or Democratic candidates to gain traction. Texas businessman Ross Perot won nearly 19% of the vote in the 1992 presidential election, the strongest showing for a third-party candidate in the modern era. Kennedy will now face an uphill battle to make it on the ballot in enough states to be competitive, just one of the many ways being a third-party candidate is difficult.
Some in Kennedy's famous family had already denounced his campaign for trying to build off of the lingering goodwill and name recognition they share. Republicans, who once championed Kennedy, are now also weary as polling reportedly shows he could draw more votes from former President Donald Trump.