“We need a revolution, I would say that, a peaceful revolution, a revolution that brings us back to the values that have been robbed from us over the last 40 years” Robert F Kennedy Jr, said during a recent interview.
On April 19, Kennedy officially launched his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Kennedy has found himself facing strong opposition from the Democratic corporate media and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the party establishment.
The rising support for Kennedy has been evident in recent polls. In an April 9 Morning Consult poll, 10 percent of those surveyed said they would support Kennedy for the Democratic presidential nomination. This number rose to 14 percent on the day of Kennedy’s launch, according to a USA Today/Suffolk poll. By April 26, a Fox News poll referenced by CNN showed Kennedy at 19 percent, while an April 27 Emerson College poll placed him at 21 percent.
Despite this surge in support, the Democratic corporate media and party establishment have responded with a barrage of cynicism and attacks. Almost immediately after Kennedy announced his candidacy, many media outlets began scrutinizing his credentials, motives, and chances of winning the nomination. Rather than engage with his policy proposals or discuss the substance of his message, these outlets have resorted to character assassination and dismissal.
Simultaneously, the DNC and Democratic party establishment have made it clear that they are opposed to primary debates. Primary debates have not been held in recent history for the incumbent presidential candidate. The strong resistance from the establishment signals their determination to maintain the status quo and resist any attempts to challenge their influence over the political narrative.
The media and Democratic party establishment’s approach to Kennedy could destabilize the Democratic Party, as it exposes internal forces other than the will of the voters to choose which candidate will represent them.
Kennedy’s message of revolution and his surge in the polls demonstrate that there is a considerable appetite for a fresh perspective in the Democratic Party. As the primary campaign unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Kennedy can withstand the relentless attacks from both the media and the party establishment, and continue to build momentum, and how the party will ultimately navigate the tensions created by his candidacy.
Photo by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 3.0