RFK Jr. Ends Presidential Campaign, Scorches Media Censorship

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent presidential campaign on Friday, delivering a scathing critique of the liberal "media organs" of the Democratic Party, accusing them of suppressing his voice while manufacturing popularity for Kamala Harris.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, has ended his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump. In a speech announcing his withdrawal, Kennedy launched a blistering attack on the media, accusing them of colluding with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to stifle his candidacy and create a false sense of popularity for Vice President Kamala Harris.

"Over the course of more than a year … the DNC-aligned mainstream media networks maintained a near-perfect embargo on interviews with me," Kennedy charged. He contrasted his experience with that of Ross Perot, who gave 34 interviews on mainstream networks during his 10-month presidential campaign in 1992. In contrast, Kennedy received only two live interviews on ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, and CNN combined over 16 months.

RFK Jr. Ends Presidential Campaign, Scorches Media Censorship

Instead of fair coverage, Kennedy alleged that the media engaged in a relentless smear campaign against him, airing "a continuous deluge of hit pieces with inaccurate, often vile pejoratives and defamatory smears." He further accused some networks of colluding with the DNC to keep him off the debate stage.

Kennedy expressed astonishment that his famous Democratic family members would have been shocked by Harris's lack of engagement with voters. "My father and my uncle were always conscious of America’s image abroad, because of our nation’s role as the template for democracy, a role model for democratic processes, and the leader of the free world," he said. "Instead of showing us her substance and character, the DNC and its media organs engineered a surge of popularity for Vice President Harris based upon, well, nothing."

RFK Jr. Ends Presidential Campaign, Scorches Media Censorship

"No policies, no interviews, no debates, only smoke and mirrors and balloons in a highly produced Chicago circus," Kennedy continued.

The long-shot Democratic candidate launched his campaign in April 2021, but switched to an independent run in October. He accused the press of failing in its sacred responsibility to challenge the party in power, which he alleged had systematically prevented him from fairly challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination.

RFK Jr. Ends Presidential Campaign, Scorches Media Censorship

Kennedy denounced his former party as one that had "abandoned democracy" in favor of "war, censorship, corruption" and subservience to pharmaceutical and tech giants. "In an honest system, I believe that I would have won the election," he declared. "I no longer believe that I have a realistic path of electoral victory in the face of this relentless, systematic censorship and media control."

Kennedy's accusations of media bias were met with silence from spokespersons for the networks he named. However, he directly addressed representatives of those outlets present at his speech. "Your institutions have made themselves government mouthpieces and stenographers for the organs of power. You didn’t alone cause the devolution of American democracy, but you could have prevented it," he charged.

RFK Jr. Ends Presidential Campaign, Scorches Media Censorship

Kennedy's endorsement of Trump could provide a small boost to the Republican ticket, although its impact remains uncertain. The DNC dismissed Kennedy's exit with unconcern, while the Harris campaign urged Americans dissatisfied with Trump to consider her candidacy. Despite his withdrawal, Kennedy remained resolute in his conviction that the media had subverted democratic principles by suppressing dissenting voices.