RFK Jr. Will Likely Pick Nicole Shanahan As Running Mate Today: Tech Lawyer Once Married To Google Founder Brin
ForbesAPR 2024
RFK Jr. Announces Shanahan as Running Mate
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The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The Washington establishment, particularly those in the Democratic Party, is starting to sweat as RFK Jr. takes a major step in advancing his independent campaign. Kennedy’s name recognition and populist platform have made him a unique threat. On top of that, with Nicole Shanahan in the fold, he now has a very wealthy running mate who can contribute an unrestricted amount to the campaign. In addition to her wealth, Shanahan has a history of supporting causes that voters care deeply about, and it will be hard for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to match this energy and excitement.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the media attention fixates on Joe Biden and Donald Trump, RFK Jr. remains a relative unknown compared to those two. This, along with his last name, may lead some people to believe that Kennedy is a benign and moderate figure, but this is not the case. For years, RFK Jr. has pushed dangerous, anti-vaccine conspiracy theories and has even been disavowed by members of his own family. Luckily, RFK doesn't stand a reasonable chance of winning, and his pick of Nicole Shanahan will do very little to gather any steam for his campaign. Kennedy will try to play spoiler, but he won't get enough support to even make a meaningful difference in that role.