Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is cleaning up the field after a $7 million Super Bowl ad blitz by an independent PAC struck a nerve in the Kennedy family huddle. RFK Jr., the 70-year-old independent presidential candidate and vaccine critic, apologized to his relatives following the Super Bowl LVIII airing of a vintage-style commercial that resurrected the iconic campaign presence of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.
Despite having the ad pinned to his X profile, Kennedy insisted on his lack of involvement, "The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign," RFK Jr. posted on X, as reported by Irish Star. He added, "FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you." But not all the Kennedys felt the love, notably cousin Bobby Shriver who criticized RFK Jr.'s alignment with his iconic uncle, leveraging the family reputation while denouncing widely accepted healthcare views.
Swallowed by a chorus of "Kennedy" jingles, the American Values 2024 Super PAC ad plastered RFK Jr.'s face atop vintage imagery of JFK's run with Lyndon B. Johnson, imploring watchers to "Vote Independent." Yet, this high-dollar nostalgia trip was met with mixed reactions—Shriver's dismay counterpointed by Kennedy's press secretary, Stefanie Spear, who seemed caught off guard but appreciative of the prime-time exposure. "We are pleasantly surprised and grateful to the American Values PAC for running an ad during the Super Bowl," Spear told CBS News in a statement echoed by Hindustan Times.
Riding the wave of conservatism, Kennedy has carved out a 14% slice of the electoral pie, as per recent polls, positioning him as a potential spoiler for the likes of ex-President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. Being featured in a Super Bowl commercial can't hurt those odds, but some, like Shriver, see a penalty flag on the play for intertwining personal political aspirations with deeply rooted family values. "My cousin’s Super Bowl ad used our uncle’s faces- and my Mother’s. She would be appalled by his deadly healthcare views. Respect for science, vaccines, & healthcare equity were in her DNA. She strongly supported my health care work ... which he opposes," Shriver stated in a post reported by MLive.
As the ball gets passed back and forth on the issue, RFK Jr.'s campaign continues to advance downfield. The strategy of leaning on a legacy while charting an independent course is a game of political football that has certainly captured the attention of more than 100 million viewers, marking RFK Jr.'s name in the playbook of this election cycle's coverage—intentional or not.
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