Arrogant, Uppity and Not Here to Perform Tricks

Imagine being the kind of person who suggests that a man who expresses somewhat delusional opinions deserves an audience with the sitting Vice President of the United States. And upon being rebuffed in that demand, his decision to back her opponent is thought to be justified because she was too "arrogant, uppity."

Noting that the man with this kind of audacity happens to be the nephew of a former President and until recently, was also one of her opponents in this most extraordinary election year, you might be forgiven in thinking that she at least owed him a return phone call. I mean, getting tapped to take on the biggest role of one's life, maintaining a hectic campaign schedule, having to vet and announce a running mate, and attending a convention to formalize the process in the span of a month is NO EXCUSE for not taking the time to listen to whatever Master Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr. has to say (if you're willing to wait an hour for him to get started, right around the 1:02:30 mark). How dare she?

In choosing not to meet with Master Robert, it appears that Madam VP forfeited her chance at his endorsement. To be clear, he was never going to back her even if she had acceded to his demand, so it would have just been a stunt for the cameras. And she's too smart to be played for a fool by a guy who thinks we're naive enough to believe that story about "finding" Baby Bear on the side of the road (because now we've got a whale of a story to top it). Yeah, looks to me that unlike Trump, Harris dodged an actual bullet...(not saying he wasn't shot at; I'm saying the man was hit in the ear by flying glass from the teleprompter and until he produces a credible medical report that proves he is the luckiest SOB to be nicked by a bullet that should have blown his ear off his face, NO I don't believe the alternative facts version of what happened.)*

I was going to share some of my initial thoughts about RFK, Jr.'s decision to join the dark side on the Busy Black Woman Facebook page, but the spirit has been moving in me of late to get back to writing here in this space. And as the day unfolded, I had more of a chance to absorb some of the reactions to his endorsement of Trump. Then I almost got baited into one of those pointless "debates" on social media over staged rage engagement, so let's just see where this rabbit hole leads. Shall we?

It is not my intent to devote much more time or energy to assessing the unseriousness of Master Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr.; rather, it is my belief that we ought to recognize this entire debacle for what it has and always will be--a con. That man has been wasting our time and playing in our faces ever since he declared his candidacy, and just so that we're clear about this brand of chicanery moving forward, there are a lot of other people on social media who are players at the same games. As I mentioned, I almost took time to provide a detailed response to some random dude on X who challenged me until I was reminded of my own warning against engaging in such foolishness. To sum up, most of these people who post these open-ended, seemingly innocent questions are actually cat-phishers. There is no good faith in their motives, so no need in giving them what they really want, which is attention/engagement. Take a hint from our Madam VP Harris and decline the invitation to meet them, engage with them, or even acknowledge that they exist. Stand your ground, on business and don't sweat being called stupid, arrogant, uppity or any other adjective intended to bait you into a fruitless exercise. 

You know what they say about arguing with a fool.

Last Friday in the afterglow of the DNC, I saw the breaking news announcement that Master Robert would be suspending his campaign and that he would probably be endorsing Trump. This was not much of a surprise as his running mate, Nicole Shanahan all but conceded that was the way forward for the campaign at the beginning of the week. I watched the footage of her statement with some vindication that I KNEW IT ALL ALONG because she seemed more sincere in her resignation to reality than their campaign had been. It's hard to believe anyone ever took either of them seriously--and not just because she is some random tech billionaire who barely beat out Aaron Rodgers for the job. Think about that...she prevailed in a veepstakes pageant between an anti-vax NFL player and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

At least she's the prettiest.

Let's stay on the topic of Ms. Shanahan for a bit because I must admit that when I first took a more critical look at Master Robert's campaign earlier this month, I had only glossed over the existence of a running mate as non-consequential. I apologize for that oversight because I'm sure that she could have brought a sense of gravitas and credibility to the effort if they had continued in their quixotic quest. I would have enjoyed seeing her match wits with James David and the Coach because we already know that debate is going to look like an old-school wrestling match. And you know what...Imma stop lying because there is no way I would have appreciated seeing this woman on stage alongside Vance or Walz (and I mean that with respect to both men). Not that I am conceding or acquiescing to any of the arguments often made against a woman's qualifications or credentials for running because technically, there aren't any. I'm just recognizing these unserious PR stunts for what they are, and I am profoundly disappointed that she went along with this farce.

Which brings me back to a few of the issues I wanted to address with respect to Master Robert: his utter lack of seriousness and how it unnecessarily tarnishes his family brand. I am sure that he felt some compulsion to run for President because the weight of expectation to aspire to some elected or political office must have been drilled into every Kennedy man. At 70 years old, Master Robert needed to heed the call or accept his fate as the namesake who never felt compelled to go into the family business. He could have stayed in the private sector as an environmentalist or under different circumstances, he might have scored a cushy ambassadorship somewhere. Perhaps I can't appreciate what it must be like to be perceived as an underachiever or worse...which is why I don't understand why he didn't just continue to do his own thing out of the glare of the world's expectations of him.

I did write this mini post after the family statement was shared that notes how significant it is that his sisters rebuked him so loudly and publicly, and how that's gotta sting. Maybe he doesn't care, but I can only imagine the pain such a drastic choice had to be for them, particularly eldest sister Kathleen. As an eldest sister myself, we look upon our younger siblings as our perpetual charges because that's the role we are born into--watch out for your younger sister(s) and brother(s). My parents must have told me that a thousand times, so still at this age, that is a responsibility I take most seriously. Even when we disagree, my default is to protect them. Therefore, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's name atop this statement reveals just how truly a heartbreaking moment this is for this family.

The salt in the wound must have been that Madam VP wouldn't make time to meet with him; yet somebody from her campaign had extend an invite to his younger cousin to come speak in primetime on their to-do list. Hence, Master Robert, the eldest Kennedy male with the name and the face, was passed over, again...

By an arrogant, uppity Black woman!

Now, I don't believe in my heart (and I am serious) that her race or gender are what motivated Master Robert to set off a San Andreas fault level rift in his family. Instead, I believe her race and gender are what compelled that slithery Donald Trump to exploit this schism to his advantage. As one entitled rich guy to another, I imagine the constant refrain in their conversation was who does she think she is?

Privilege is one helluva drug and even the most liberal leaning of old money/nouveau riche gazillionaires have been known to question the long-term wisdom of a We The People ethos. The same democracy that touts the ideals of one person one vote stands in direct conflict with the affirmative action of generational wealth that Michelle Obama alluded to in her convention speech. Men like Trump and Master Robert never had to work at McDonald's. They didn't go to college on the GI Bill or Pell Grants, nor did they have to piece together funds from various sources to pay for their advanced degrees. They never had to tailor a resume to apply for any previous jobs, since running for President is the first high-stakes job interview either of them has ever pursued. 

Take a moment to let that sink in. And then it becomes clear why their disdain for Madam VP is so intense. Who does she think she is, not sitting for interviews with the media as if she is Beyonce? Who does she think she is, being handed a nomination without a traditional process? Who does she think she is, filling two arenas with real people at simultaneous rallies during the DNC? Who does she think she is, refusing to kowtow to Trump's proposed debate schedule and preferred format? Who does she think she is, Black or Indian (because she can't be both)?

Every other person who runs for President is motivated by some over-inflated sense of self. And we wonder aloud that same question about traditional third-party candidates. What made Ralph Nader or Lenora Fulani, or makes Jill Stein or Cornel West think they can run this country if they only appeal to a fringe sliver of the electorate? I get that they want to shine a light on issues that won't receive priority attention, but that is a primary election strategy, not one that has yielded much change or reform on the national level. When confronted on the prospect of being spoilers, they typically respond that they don't care about the consequences. Ralph Nader has been particularly vocal, unapologetic, and defiant of late. Once the dust of their pie-in-the-sky Presidential campaigns clears, they aren't pounding the pavement to build momentum in the states for future contests. Therefore, it is fair to assume that the typical third-party bid is an exercise in toxic hubris.

If you need any further proof of that same inclination in Master Robert, look at how his campaign has strategically opted to stay on the ballot in states where it can inflict harm against the Vice President, but has taken steps to be removed in states where he might harm Trump. If he was so concerned about the right of third-party candidates to be treated fairly, he would have thrown some campaign resources behind Jill Stein or Cornel West, both of whom are still attempting to gain ballot access in various states. Why not righteously demand that they also deserve to be heard in debates against the two major party candidates? Why leave them without the funding and infrastructure that they sorely need in order to support Trump, who has the RNC infrastructure and his own personal fortune at his disposal?

Even though Drs. West and Stein are un-redemptive chaos agents (albeit in a more traditional fashion), Master Robert is on another level. He is on par with Kanye West, who launched a spoiler campaign in July 2020 to siphon votes from Joe Biden in service to Donald Trump. Nobody thought Con Yeah Man was serious, but he did succeed in helping to sow seeds of discord in Georgia, setting the stage for what will now be Ground Zero in the second Trump Insurrection. And make no mistake, there will be another violent attempt, and Master Robert just helped to make that prospect a guaranteed certainty. 

For all intents and purposes, Trump is just another third-party narcissist who executed a hostile takeover of the Republican Party in 2016. Bernie Sanders attempted a similar coup with the Democrats twice, but they caught on and foiled his plans. These egomaniacs assume no one is hip to their duplicity, so once exposed by sunlight, they retaliate by gaslighting us. How many times has Trump whined that a process that doesn't advantage him is unfair, even with all of the resources he has to thwart his accusers? What have the Bernie Bros accomplished in the last four to eight years except become louder and more obnoxious? 

Strategically speaking, while the Democratic National Convention was quite the party, Madam VP took to the stage on that final night to let it be known that not only was SHE the effing headliner, but SHE is also a woman all about the business, with no time for suffering fools.  Cognizant of how hard some folks had been working to undermine her for the past three years by second-guessing her intelligence and arguing that she was an albatross around Biden's neck, Harris clearly understands that she only has two months to win or lose. Two months to define and introduce herself to the voters on her own terms as her own woman. With a truncated campaign schedule, she has to prioritize and be strategic about how she spends her time, and no good can come from giving an audience to a clown. It's enough for her to have to debate the Ringmaster. Folks who want to entertain a circus can vote for one, but she ain't with the shits!

So NO, Kamala Harris don't have time for tea with Master Robert. He's not entitled to an audience with her any more than the other chaos agent candidates. I listened to part of his statement, and it is puzzling to me how he criticizes the media for engaging in anti-democratic tactics while questioning Harris' right to choose if and when to give interviews. Which is it? It must be maddening to encounter a woman who can't be accused of using him to gain access to power because she already has more power than he could possibly imagine. She ain't concerned with his bruised ego nor is she impressed by his name. He is just one Kennedy. The majority of the family already publicly endorsed President Biden back in April (and are transferring that support to her), so any lingering hard or bitter feelings he harbors aren't with the Vice President, but with his family. She's not the one who will be uncomfortable at the Annual Kennedy Labor Day BBQ Bash on Hyannis Port...

When I invited you into this rabbit hole with me, one of the flashbacks that replayed on the way down was the memory of another Kennedy who pulled a similar stunt in 1980, which might have inspired this present carpe diem/YOLO effort. Lest we forget, the late Senator Edward Moore Kennedy, the baby of the family, also took on a sitting President when he thought there might be a vulnerability he could exploit. The rivalry and animosity between Uncle Teddy and President Carter lingered for decades and provides an interesting example of the historical rhymes and bars that we should commit to memory. 

In his DNC remarks, former President Obama threw out a laugh line about the remake never being as good as the original, which probably prompted most of us to compare and contrast a mental list of movies or songs. And sure enough, there are plenty of examples that prove his point. Although that was a reference to Trump, in this instance, Master Robert must have thought that he could attempt a remix of history by succeeding where his Uncle Teddy had not. He saw in President Biden an old and war-weary general and gambled that a Kennedy candidacy could offer us the prospect of a 21st Century Camelot Returns. He must have forgotten that Old Man Biden was there in 1980, so the general knew how to out-maneuver his would-be adversary. In passing the mic to his protégé, Biden robbed Master Robert of his shot; and by refusing to meet with him, Madam VP only compounded his humiliation. Uncle Teddy died 15 years ago to the day of his defection...but President Carter is alive and eager to vote for Harris this fall. At this rate, the only way Master Robert's name will be anywhere near the resolute desk in the Oval Office is in the form of that bust of his father. 

* Just because I want to be respectful and recognize the seriousness of what I am suggesting, there are reasons for my skepticism. I taught a class on the John F. Kennedy assassination, and one of the most graphic details was how the bullet that hit Kennedy caused his head to explode. That was from a rifle shot in 1963. Technology has advanced considerably in 60 years, and we know that a bullet from an AR-15, the gun recovered from the shooter, has the power to pulverize human flesh. If Trump had been grazed by that bullet, it should have knocked him down on that platform; instead, he reacted as if he had been stung by a bee before he was tackled by Secret Service. A man who was hit by one of those bullets, Corey Comperatore, died so it is offensive to me that Trump minimizes that man's life by stunting: thrusting his fist in the air in defiance; parading around with a maxi pad affixed to his head; and refusing to My disgust is compounded by the narcissism of Master Robert in endorsing such theatrical nonsense.