The American president Joe Biden received the backing of at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family at a campaign event in Philadelphia on Thursday, as he aims to undermine the former president Donald Trump and marginalize the independent candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Kerry Kennedy daughter of the former Minister of Justice Robert F. Kennedy, nephew of the former president John F. Kennedy and sister of the current presidential contender, gave family support to Biden in Philadelphia, who she called “my hero.”
“We want to make very clear our feeling that the best path forward for the United States is to get re-elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for another four years,” he said.
He never mentioned his brother directly, but insisted on itand «there are only two candidates with any chance of winning the presidency» this year, framing the campaign as an election between Biden and Trump, with no room for a third contender.
Biden, who has a bust of Robert F. Kennedy in the Oval Office, said the approval was there «an incredible honor.» He noted that Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, poses a threat to America’s democratic traditions and that «now is the time to move forward and not give up because the stakes are so high.»
The decision to highlight the Kennedy family’s support more than six months before Election Day is an indication of how seriously Biden’s campaign team takes the threat that a candidate is unlikely to win use the lingering magic of your last name to remove the president’s support.
Kennedy Jr. downplayed the recognition and wrote about it on social media his family was «divided in opinion, but united in our love for each other». He emphasized that his campaign aims to «heal America.»
Given Kennedy Jr.’s quixotic policy positions and the expectation that this year’s campaign will be decided by narrow margins, both Democrats and Republicans fear that he could play the role of saboteur. As a reminder of that potentially decisive role, Michigan officials said Kennedy secured a spot on the state ballot Thursday.
Biden used the event, which caps a three-day tour of Pennsylvania, to keep the pressure on Trump.
“Donald Trump’s vision is one of anger, hatred, revenge and retaliation,” Biden said, adding: “I have a very different vision of America, one of hope and optimism.”
After the event, Biden thanked about three dozen supporters and volunteers who were preparing to phone voters or knock on doors for his campaign.
“What you’re doing here is bigger than me, bigger than you, bigger than all of us put together. «It’s about the kind of country our children will live in,» Biden said.
He said the election was not so much about keeping him in office, but rather doing it stop Trump from getting it, and said the race is important «not because I’m going to run,» but because of what «will happen if we lose this election.»
The support of the Kennedy family is not at all surprising. Members of this prominent Democratic family have expressed their political disagreement with Kennedy Jr., who began as Biden’s challenger in the Democratic Party primaries and is now running independently. Last month, Biden hosted more than 30 members of the extended Kennedy family at the White House to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day.
But other prominent family members do not support Biden, including Carolina Kennedy, American Ambassador to Australia, e Mary Shriver, founder of a nonprofit organization, something the president’s campaign team said is because they hold non-political professional positions.
