Vanity Fair: RFK Jr.'s Super Bowl Ad: An Odd Effort to Evoke Nostalgia

By Eric Lutz

Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the verge of damaging his family's esteemed credentials or Joe Biden's chances of re-election? RFK Jr.'s presence was noted during the Super Bowl Sunday evening when he recalled the much-revered 1960 campaign ad of his late uncle. This move has stirred unrest amongst his family members. They have expressed their ire at the use of family images and their shared legacy to promote his fallacy-ridden third-party run against the reigning Democrat.

In response to this, RFK Jr. publicly addressed his family and apologized. He expressed his love and blessings to them all. He cited that American Values—a Super PAC that backs him—created the ad and showcased it without his approval. Nevertheless, the sincerity of his apology is questionable as an ad, worth seven million dollars, is still prominently featured on his X profile until the time of writing. Kennedy, it's worth pointing out, has been accused by the Democratic National Committee of purportedly-coordinating with his Super PAC, as per a complaint filed with the Federal Election Committee.

Kennedy optimistically noted that his campaign is picking up the pace, even going so far as to suggest that there's a need for an independent President to mend the nation's divide. Yet, whether this momentum is substantial enough remains to be seen. In a recent poll, his scepticism about vaccines earned him an estimated 24 percent vote share. This was the projected result in a potential face-off between Biden, Donald Trump, and other third-party prospects such as Jill Stein and Cornel West. Whilst this percentage might not secure him a win, it could certainly add to the intricacies of the upcoming November race. The competition between major party candidates may be hindered, causing unease amongst Democrats if Trump seeks to regain control of the White House on the promise of an authoritarian rule. "This warrants everyone's serious contemplation,” cautioned Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter on Sunday evening.

The Super Bowl ad not only showed that RFK Jr. is far from backing down in this race but also amplified the ludicrousness of his campaign. A man desperate to inherit his family's political legacy may end up benefiting an autocrat-in-the-making. As expressed by Bob Shrum, the former speechwriter for Ted Kennedy, "‘Bobby, you’re no John Kennedy,'" he wrote. "Instead you are a Trump ally.”