Bold accusation, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has alleged collusion between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to exclude him from the 2024 presidential debates. Kennedy Jr. made this explosive claim on his social media platform, X, shortly after CNN announced the date for the first debate between the two major party candidates.
“Presidents Trump and Biden are colluding to lock America into a head-to-head match-up that 70% say they do not want,” Kennedy Jr. asserted. He contends that their efforts to keep him out of the debate stem from fear of his potential success, stating, “They are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win. Keeping viable candidates off the debate stage undermines democracy.”
Kennedy Jr., known for challenging the status quo, stressed the importance of independent voices in politics, highlighting that 43% of Americans identify as independents. He emphasized the need to break free from the dominance of the two-party system, especially with two of the most unpopular candidates in living memory vying for the presidency.
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Critiquing the current political leadership, Kennedy Jr. accused Biden and Trump of seeking to avoid accountability for their “eight years of mutual failure,” including deficits, wars, lockdowns, chronic disease, and inflation.
While CNN clarified that Kennedy Jr. was not explicitly barred from participating in the debates, they outlined specific criteria for qualification, which include being on enough state ballots to potentially earn 270 electoral votes and achieving 15 percent in at least four national polls. As of now, only Biden and Trump meet these requirements.
Despite significant strides in his campaign, including qualifying for the ballot in several states and filing for Texas, Kennedy Jr. faces dismissiveness from both the Biden and Trump camps.
Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler asserted that only Biden or Trump can win the election, brushing off Kennedy Jr.’s potential participation. Trump, on the other hand, labeled Kennedy Jr. as “more liberal than anyone running on the Democratic side,” dismissing him as a Democratic plant and a threat to his own candidacy.
Kennedy Jr.’s accusations resonate at a time of growing dissatisfaction with the two-party system, with a significant portion of the electorate seeking alternatives. His campaign advocates for a broader and more inclusive political discourse, challenging the entrenched political duopoly. As the election season progresses, Kennedy Jr.’s allegations underscore the tension between established political interests and calls for greater diversity and representation in American politics.
