Dem
51
GOP
49
The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Super Bowl commercial wasn't the best one to air during the Super Bowl—not by a long shot—but it was certainly the one that got the most attention yesterday. And while the old line claims that there is no such thing as bad publicity, the fact is that pretty much all the talk was bad for Junior.
To start, the other members of the Kennedy family were outraged, on behalf of John F., Robert Sr., and other Kennedys who are no longer with us. To take one example, Bobby Shriver decreed: "My cousin's Super Bowl ad used our uncles' faces—and my Mother's. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views." So, despite the obvious attempt to cash in on the family name, by implying that he would continue his forebears' legacy, the commercial just served to remind everyone that RFK Jr. is a black sheep and something of an outcast.
Seemingly recognizing that a line was crossed that should not have been crossed, RFK Jr. got on Ex-Twitter to "apologize":
I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain. The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you.
Does anyone really believe this? First, that RFK had NO IDEA what the PAC was planning? Second, that he genuinely feels bad about it? Before you answer, note that even after his "heartfelt" words, the ad remained pinned at the top of his Twitter account. In other words, the commercial also served to remind everyone that RFK Jr. tends to be disingenuous and phony.
Moving on, anyone who saw the ad could not help but notice that its only point was that RFK Jr.'s last name, in case you haven't heard, is... Kennedy. There wasn't one iota of policy to be found. Pollster and strategist Frank Luntz, for example, said: "This RFK Jr. Super Bowl ad has been criticized for ripping off his uncle's 1960 campaign. It should actually be criticized for saying absolutely nothing." So, in addition, the ad reminded everyone that Junior is something of an empty suit.
And finally, given the enormous cost of the ad, there was much interest in where the $7 million to pay the bills came from. And the answer to that question is already known; the guy who wrote the check is Timothy Mellon, who is well known as a devoted Trumper. In other words, the ad also serves as a reminder that RFK Jr.'s campaign is all about rat**cking. Oh, the candidate may not see it that way (who knows with him), but the donors who keep him viable certainly do.
Maybe the commercial did Junior and/or his donors some good, but what that good might be, we do not know. What we do know is that 95%+ of the talk yesterday was about the various major weaknesses of Kennedy's "campaign." From where we sit, that's not a great investment of $7 million. (Z)