Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is no longer running for president.
But that doesn’t mean he won’t leave his trademark “Kennedy” stamp on the upcoming election.
And RFK’s latest move echoes widely popular moves made by his uncle, former president John F. Kennedy.
This week, Kennedy began releasing a series of short, inspiring videos via social media about that vision, with “Make America Healthy Again.” or #MAHA emblazoned on them–the slogan that his vice presidential pick, Nicole Shanahan, said was chosen by MAGA supporters of the former president.
Nicole Shanahan: “I was completely misinformed about what MAGA is”
“The coming together of these two groups over the last week … has been really glorious.
And they gave us the name MAHA, Make America Healthy Again.
That was always the vision of this unity movement, this… pic.twitter.com/Dxo8TyGTGF
— Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) August 29, 2024
On Wednesday, Kennedy shared the first video, which echoes what he expressed recently during his interview with Dr. Phil, on Trump and Vance’s vision for the country–one that could be seen as a throwback to a different era with respect for supporting families, values, and prosperity through hard work and a can-do spirit:
This country is made up of a hundred different kinds of people and a hundred different ways of talking and a hundred different ways of going to church, but they are all American ways. pic.twitter.com/8E8NzU3EeI
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 27, 2024
RFK Jr.’s first video features voiceovers from notable people from the past, with the first ad talks about what it means to be an American.
It starts with a very young Frank Sinatra, who was a close friend of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, speaking in 1946 about the people who make up the melting pot that is America.
Then there’s RFK, Bobby Jr.’s father, and the closing words of a speech he gave, “On the mindless menace of violence,” in Cleveland on Apr. 5, 1968. This was just moments before he was assassinated, while exiting through the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel, by Sirhan Sirhan.
RFK Jr. closes out the ad with a clip of him speaking about the “unique opportunity” we have today to “diffuse those tensions,” by seeing within others and ourselves, that which is not selfish….but brave and generous and idealistic, and has good intentions.” The ad ends with a bookend clip of Sinatra.
But, a new one on Thursday features his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, talking on a topic that’s close to RFK Jr.’s heart: his hopes to make America healthier.
JFK was dedicated to making Americans the healthiest people on earth. Now, RFK Jr. Is making that his mission.#MAHA pic.twitter.com/oCOzbdllrL
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) August 29, 2024
The video starts with RFJ Jr. encouraging viewers to watch (or rewatch) Pres. Kennedy’s speeches from 1960, on a subject he said his uncle was “distressed” by–Americans’ “physical fitness.” Between the clips, Bobby Kennedy Jr. rattles off a slew of startling, but unsurprising statistics on the downfall of our health, even compared to the ’60s.He ends by saying:
“This was one of the reasons, the key reasons, that I ran for president: To end this chronic disease epidemic, and to restore Americans to good health.”