RFK Jr. answers Trump-Biden debate questions during rival event

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wasn’t along with his better-known rivals, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, once they debated Thursday in Atlanta.

However Kennedy responded in actual time to the identical questions — about inflation, the COVID-19 response and abortion — that have been posed to Biden and Trump in an uncommon livestream on the social platform X. Host John Stossell saved Kennedy’s solutions to the identical strict time constraints imposed on the opposite candidates.

Standing alone on a stage in Los Angeles, Kennedy opened his occasion, dubbed The Actual Debate, by accusing CNN, host of the principle contest, of colluding with the Republican and Democratic events to maintain him off.

“That is one thing that’s essential for our democracy as a result of People really feel just like the system is rigged,” Kennedy mentioned throughout his opening remarks. “That is precisely the type of merger of state and company energy that I’m working to oppose.”

Other than the livestreamed response to the controversy, Kennedy has nothing on his public schedule for the approaching weeks. Nor does his working mate, philanthropist Nicole Shanahan.

After a busy spring hopscotching the nation for a mixture of political rallies, fundraisers and nontraditional marketing campaign occasions, Kennedy seems to be taking a breather.

Kennedy’s absence from the principle debate stage and the marketing campaign path carries danger for his rebel quest to shake up the Republican and Democratic dominance of the U.S. political system. He lacks the cash for a firehose of tv commercials, and he should spend a lot of the cash he does should safe poll entry. Public appearances are a low-cost strategy to hearth up supporters and drive media protection he wants to remain related.

Kennedy says he can’t win until voters know he’s working and imagine he can defeat Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. That drawback will change into more and more acute as the controversy, adopted by the main occasion conventions in July and August, push extra voters to tune into the race.

Nonetheless, Kennedy has maintained a gentle stream of social media posts, and he continues to take a seat for interviews, most not too long ago with discuss present host Dr. Phil.

“Mr. Kennedy has a full schedule for July with many public occasions, totally on the East Coast and together with one large rally,” mentioned Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy marketing campaign spokesperson. “We are going to begin asserting the occasions subsequent week.”

For Thursday’s debate on CNN, the community invited candidates who confirmed energy in 4 dependable polls and poll entry in sufficient states to win the presidency. Kennedy fell brief on each necessities.

He has cried foul in regards to the guidelines, accusing CNN of colluding with Biden and Trump in a grievance to the Federal Election Fee and threatening to sue.

Kennedy wasn’t on stage, however his supporters had a visual presence on the streets across the debate corridor.

Some Kennedy backers arrange a lemonade stand a number of blocks from the spin room the place the press was gathered. An indication on high of the stand learn, “CNN Lemons = Kennedy Lemonade.” Others waved “Heal the Divide” indicators. Not distant, a Kennedy marketing campaign bus blasted music.

Sujat Desai, a 20-year-old scholar from Pleasanton, California, who helps Kennedy, mentioned Kennedy’s absence from the controversy is a serious hurdle for him to beat.

“I don’t assume there’s any strategy to get consciousness in case you’re not on the controversy stage,” Desai mentioned. “I believe it’s a fairly deadly blow to not be on this debate, and it could be detrimental to not be within the subsequent.”

Nonetheless, Desai mentioned he received’t be dissuaded from voting for Kennedy even when he seems to be a longshot come November.

“I believe that is most likely the strongest I’ve seen an unbiased candidate shortly, so I’ll give him that,” Desai mentioned. “I believe he’s positively doing nicely. His insurance policies are sturdy sufficient to win, I simply don’t know if there’s consciousness.”

Impartial and third-party candidates like Kennedy face supremely lengthy odds, however Kennedy’s marketing campaign has spooked partisans on either side who concern he’ll tip the election in opposition to them. Biden supporters fear his well-known Democratic title and his historical past of environmental advocacy will sway voters from the left. Trump supporters fear his idiosyncratic views, notably his questioning of the scientific consensus that vaccines are secure and efficient, will attraction to individuals who would possibly in any other case vote for Trump.

Christy Jones, 54, a holistic well being and mindfulness coach from Glendora, California, worries individuals received’t know Kennedy is working with out him standing subsequent to Biden and Trump on the debate. However she mentioned he’s nonetheless throughout her social media feeds and he or she’s assured he’s making himself seen.

“I do really feel like he may nonetheless win if individuals select to be brave,” she mentioned. “If all of the individuals that truly need change voted for him, he could be in. Individuals are asking for change.”

Till not too long ago, Kennedy’s web site promoted quite a lot of occasions weeks or extra upfront, together with public rallies and personal fundraisers. He held comedy nights with outstanding comedians in Michigan and Tennessee.

However since he went to the June 15 premiere of a movie on combatting dependancy, Kennedy has been darkish, although he continues to advertise in-person and digital organizing occasions for his supporters.

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Cooper reported from Phoenix. Related Press journalist Steve Peoples in Atlanta contributed to this report.