RFK Jr. jokes about his ‘brain worm’ eating ‘part of his memory’ in speech to cheering Libertarians attacking Trump for his COVID response
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leaned into the “brain worm” mockery when he mocked former President Donald Trump over his response to COVID-19.
Kennedy spoke late Friday afternoon at the Libertarian National Convention at the Washington Hilton in Washington DC, where Trump will speak tomorrow.
Both Kennedy and Trump want to draw away libertarian voters, even though the party is about to select their own candidate.
“Maybe a brain worm ate that part of my memory,” Kennedy said. “I don’t recall any part of the U.S. Constitution that includes an exception for pandemics.”
Kennedy, who is currently trying to secure his own place on ballots across the country, was warmly received by the crowd, especially when he railed against Trump-imposed lockdowns in the early months of the pandemic.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leaned into the “brainworm” mockery as he blasted former President Donald Trump over his response to COVID-19 during an appearance Friday at the Libertarian National Convention
The former Democrat — who switched to an independent in October when his presidential bid failed to gain enough momentum to dent President Joe Biden — noted how Trump came in and touted his business bona fides.
He then “gave the keys to all our companies to a 50-year-old bureaucrat who has never been elected to anything,” Kennedy said, referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the leaders of both Trump and Biden’s response to COVID-19.
“President Trump was responsible for the greatest restriction on individual freedoms this country has ever seen,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy, who has long been a prominent vaccine skeptic, also slammed the Biden administration for reaching out to social media companies during the first weeks of the Democrat’s term to combat medical “misinformation” — “that’s information that is factually accurate, but nevertheless difficult. .’
‘“I’m curious to see how President Trump will defend his attacks on the Constitution when I meet him on the debate stage,” the independent hopeful later added.
The first presidential debate will be hosted by CNN on June 27 and Kennedy faces an uphill battle to appear on stage alongside the two major party candidates.
The Biden campaign has led to third-party candidates being banned directly from the debate stage.
Attendees at the Libertarian National Convention, taking place at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., clap during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s speech Friday afternoon. They choose their own candidate, but invite other presidential candidates to speak
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton (pictured), was among the attendees at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC this week. Robert F. Kennedy praised Assange during his speech on Friday
But CNN and ABC, which will host the second debate in September, are making poll demands on third parties: they will have to reach 15 percent in four national polls over a certain period.
On Friday, the Kennedy campaign said the candidate had received sufficient support in three of the four required polls.
Kennedy will also need to appear on enough state ballots to win 270 Electoral College votes in the general election.
During Friday’s appearance at the Libertarian National Convention, Kennedy drew the biggest cheers for praising both Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, and Edward Snowden, both of whom exposed U.S. government secrets.
“Julian Assange should be celebrated as a hero,” Kennedy said, as the crowd erupted in a “Free Julian Assange” chant.
Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton attended the conference.
The Wikileaks founder is currently in custody in Britain.
Robert F. Kennedy got the loudest cheers when he applauded both Edward Snowden and Julian Assange and promised to pardon Snowden and drop charges against the Wikileaks founder, who is in custody in Britain.
About Snowden, the presidential candidate said: “He is a hero, not a criminal.”
“I’m going to do what President Trump should have done,” Kennedy promised. “On my first day, I will pardon Edward Snowden and drop all charges against Julian Assange.”
Biden said last month that he is “considering” dropping all charges against Assange, a request made by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as Assange is Australian.
The current president was also invited to appear at the Libertarian National Convention, but declined the offer.
He will spend part of Memorial Day weekend at home in Wilmington, Delaware and will give a speech at West Point.