Oakland, California Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared on Tuesday that he has selected Californian entrepreneur and donor Nicole Shanahan as his running partner in his improbable bid for the presidency.
At an Oakland meeting: Kennedy introduced Shanahan as someone “who will speak for millennials and Gen Z”. Someone who is concerned about curing our children’s illnesses, protecting the environment, restoring our soils, and eliminating toxins from our food, and who understands how technology can either imprison us or offer a path back to freedom and prosperity.”
Nicole Shanahan, 38, is regarded as a front-runner for Kennedy and is well-known for her public divorce from Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder. This is especially true considering that the campaign will require a sizable sum of money to run its operations. Nicole Shanahan donated $4 million to the Kennedy super PAC American Values 2024 and oversaw the production of an advertisement supporting the Kennedy campaign that was shown during the Super Bowl.
For now, Kennedy is limited to the Utah general election ballot.
Kennedy’s campaign threatened to sue the Nevada Secretary of State’s office over his petition to be included on the ballot, and that threat was the day that the pick was made. CBS News reported that Kennedy’s petition would become invalid due to the absence of a vice presidential candidate, which spurred Kennedy’s team to address the issue.
In Oakland, California, on March 26, 2024, Nicole Shanahan extends a warm greeting to her visitors and declares her candidacy as an independent running for president alongside Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Documents that were acquired from the Nevada office claim that Kennedy broke the rules by listing himself as the only candidate on his petition—that is, without a running companion. This might make the signatures obtained in the state invalid.
The State Department acknowledged that its staff members had provided Kennedy with inaccurate data.
Now that it has disclosed its vice presidential candidate, the Kennedy campaign said in a statement on Tuesday that it will begin collecting signatures this week in the 19 other states that require a running mate to be qualified to be on the ballot.
These states are: Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas.
Kennedy made passing reference of prominent individuals like former Minnesota Jesse Ventura and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers early this month, implying that he was running for vice president.
Kennedy has the following names in mind:
Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the New York Jets and forty years old, feels the same way Kennedy did about legislation requiring vaccinations. Rodgers said that he had not received the immunization shortly after testing positive for COVID-19 in 2021, which prevented him from playing on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs in football. Kennedy told the New York Times earlier this month that Rodgers was a serious contender for the job.
Kennedy also listed 72-year-old former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura as a front-runner. Even though he disagreed with Kennedy’s anti-vaccine position, former wrestler Ventura—who defeated Kennedy in the governor’s race as a Reform Party candidate—said he would consider accepting the position.
Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, a former representative from Hawaii, has never denied that she was approached by Kennedy; but, when asked about it, Nicole Shanahan merely said, “I’m going to let Bobby Kennedy speak for himself.” I truly adore and admire him for his heart and goals, and he’s a fantastic buddy.” Nonetheless, in her speech at CPAC in February, she showered former President Donald Trump with praise.
Mike Rowe, 62, a former “Dirty Jobs” TV host, told CNN that he received a call from Kennedy proposing to be his running partner. He said they discussed vocational training and his charity, mikeroweWORKS.
“I spat my coffee back into my cup when he asked me at one point if I would ever consider running for public office.” “Really?” I questioned.
Written by Vaughn Hillyard, Alex Seitz-Wald, Katherine Koretski, and Allan Smith
Oakland, California: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Tuesday that he had chosen wealthy San Francisco Bay Area attorney and businesswoman Nicole Shanahan as his running mate. Nicole Shanahan, like Kennedy, has never run for office and has made contributions to both his campaign and super PAC.
Kennedy made the announcement at a gathering in Oakland, Shanahan’s hometown.
Kennedy defended his decision by pointing to Shanahan’s expertise in technology and advocacy, adding that he wanted to choose a young athlete with a diverse background for his running partner.
During her address, Nicole Shanahan fiercely criticized the Democratic Party, saying that it “has lost its way” and that she was formally leaving it behind.
Kennedy’s parents are also major factors for her. She also made clear that Nicole Shanahan was skeptical of vaccines and medication, claiming that no safety study “can assess the cumulative impact of one prescription after another after another, one shot after another and another, throughout the course of childhood.” Kennedy was especially worried about the availability of food in the nation.
Nicole Shanahan once brought up the topic of “electromagnetic pollution,” pushing a debunking theory regarding the possible health risks associated with 5G and Wi-Fi radiation.
“There should be a realignment. It’s time to highlight our common values rather than our differences, as Bobby Kennedy once stated.
“Take a close look at his vision for America,” Nicole Shanahan continued.
Kennedy makes his choice at a critical point in his campaign. The requirements for independent presidential candidates to be eligible differ from state to state and usually involve gathering thousands of signatures on petitions. But in more than half of the states, independents must submit their nomination papers with their chosen running mates, and some of those deadlines are approaching.
Though it’s still unclear exactly where Kennedy will be able to appear on the ballot, he’s leading other third-party candidates in the polls. Furthermore, the figures suggest that, should he appear on the ballot in fall, he may have a significant impact in important swing states—even though the specific questions posed in different surveys may have an impact on the results.
He is getting double-digit support, according to polls done in Arizona this month by Fox News and Bloomberg/Morning Consult. A research earlier last month from Quinnipiac University found that he is getting double-digit support in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Moreover, a Marist College survey found that 11% of North Carolina’s registered voters endorsed him.
“The campaign is being ruined by us. Kennedy answered, “That’s fine with me.” For President Trump and President Biden, it’s a deal breaker. It exposes the plot of the military apparatus. It poses a threat to Wall Street, Big Ag, Big Telecom, Big Pharma, and corporate-owned media.”
Following the disclosure, Kennedy was criticized by supporters of both Trump and Biden. A spokeswoman for MAGA Inc., a super PAC that backs Trump, called Kennedy “a far-left radical” and asserted that it was “no surprise he would pick a Biden donor leftist as his running mate.”
During a DNC media call, Michigan senator Mallory McMorrow claimed that Shanahan was selected by Kennedy solely because she could afford to support his project.
For this reason, he selected a vice president who can afford to buy his way onto the ballot in several states.
“First of all, that’s disgusting, and it is an abuse of our democracy,” Nicole Shanahan stated. “Secondly, this suggests that he is a candidate, raising the likelihood that Donald Trump will be elected president again. I saw that during the Michigan outbreak, people like Trump were keen to sow discord by adopting some of RFK’s statements and discourse, particularly with regard to mothers and women.”
Kennedy considered a number of quarterbacks in his search for a vice presidential candidate, including New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, and TV host Mike Rowe. Rowe’s description of his interview with NBC News states that Kennedy discussed key policy stances while defending his anti-vaccine advocacy.
Ultimately, though, Kennedy turned his attention to Nicole Shanahan, who helped produce a visually arresting Super Bowl commercial that supported him back in February.
According to The New York Times, Shanahan paid the super PAC American Values 2024 $4 million last month to show the commercial, which she co-wrote. The super PAC
according to federal campaign finance reports, on January 31st, Nicole Shanahan got a $4 million donation from Planeta Management LLC, a business that is named after her startup fund, Planeta Ventures.
It appears that by joining Kennedy’s ticket, Nicole Shanahan will be able to donate her wealth to the campaign directly rather than through a third party, enabling Kennedy to use the money for crucial projects like gathering signatures on petitions to obtain ballot access.
Vice presidential candidates, like presidential candidates, are entitled to contribute any amount of their personal money to their campaigns as long as their tickets do not ask for public assistance, according Federal Election Commission regulations.Shanahan has been involved with influential people in the computer sector in California.
Nicole Shanahan founded ClearAccessIP, a company that uses artificial intelligence to assist patent holders in managing their intellectual property. IPwe acquired the company in 2020.
Nicole Shanahan married Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2018, and the two later divorced in 2022. The Wall Street Journal alleges that Nicole Shanahan was romantically involved with billionaire Elon Musk; however, both Shanahan and Musk have denied the allegations. The Journal continues to report as before.
“It felt senseless and cruel.”
The Bia-Echo Foundation, which Nicole Shanahan founded, aims to “create a multiplying effect” on issues that are close to his heart, including “criminal justice reform, reproductive longevity & equality, and a healthy & livable planet.”
Concerns about children’s health and the environment, in particular, motivated Shanahan to endorse Kennedy, she told the Times in February. Shanahan has an autistic daughter and has recently contributed to research into the disorder’s origins.
As the head of the most well-funded anti-vaccine organization in the country, Children’s Health Defense, Kennedy has made the latter argument a professional goal. He quit the organization to pursue a presidential candidacy, assembling a coalition of opponents of vaccinations to support his cause.
Distinguished anti-vaccine activist and Kennedy’s communications director Del Bigtree, Stanford professor Jay Bhattacharya, who has been outspoken against Covid mitigation measures, and former GOP congressional candidate Angela Stanton-King—whom Trump pardoned in 2020 for her role in a stolen car ring—were among the warm-up speakers at his event on Tuesday.
During her congressional campaign, Stanton-King said that the Black Lives Matter movement was “a major cover up for PEDOPHILIA and HUMAN TRAFFICKING” and compared gays and transgender people to pedophiles.
Putting the two-party system to the test:
Kennedy has never held public office, but his opposition to public health regulations and the power of money to sway decisions made by the government and private industry has won him a modest following. He started Children’s Health Defense, a group that disseminates false information about vaccines on a regular basis, and he has entertained conspiracy theories about vaccines at political gatherings.
In her statements on Tuesday, Nicole Shanahan tacitly made the incorrect claim that “pharmaceutical medicines,” such as prescription drugs and vaccines, could be a factor in the increased numbers of autism diagnoses. This was reminiscent of some of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views.
Democrats are sure that Kennedy would be a spoiler for Trump, despite surveys showing that he is receiving a significant amount of support in important places. It’s uncertain which of the big parties Kennedy would garner greater support.
According to CNN polling from Michigan and Pennsylvania released on Friday:
Kennedy received 16% of the vote in Pennsylvania in a hypothetical four-way contest against Trump (40%), Biden (38%), and independent candidate Cornel West (4%). Kennedy received 18% in a comparable Michigan test versus Trump (40%), Biden (34%), and West (4%).
Both surveys found that voters who disapproved of both Biden and Trump gave Kennedy a majority of their support, despite the fact that a significant number of that group also stated they didn’t know enough about him to make an informed decision.
Kennedy stated that he hopes his campaign will provide as a platform for “homeless Republicans and Democrats” to tell their tales. He said he was confident he could defeat both of them, dismissing the notion that he would be a spoiler for either contender.
“Our advertising is deceptive. I agree with that. He said, “It is a spoiler for both President Trump and President Biden.”
The excitement surrounding Kennedy’s declaration of his vice presidential campaign, according to US academic Bernard Tamas, could the needle since running mates has never really piqued American interest.
Vice presidential candidates rarely make it far in the election, especially those from major parties. Moreover, Tamas, a professor at Valdosta State University in Georgia, said it is doubtful that the minor-party candidates will have a major impact in a state where ignorance is already rampant.
The story and headline have been modified.
Testing the effectiveness of the two-party system Kennedy has never held public office, but he has a small following thanks to his criticism of public health laws and the ability of money to influence decisions made by the government and private sector. He founded Children’s Health Defense, an organization that regularly spreads misleading information concerning vaccines, and he has participated in vaccine conspiracy theories at political events.
Nicole Shanahan implicitly stated in her remarks on Tuesday that “pharmaceutical medicines,” which include prescription medications and vaccinations, might be a contribute to the rise of autism diagnosis. This reminded me of some of the anti-vaccine beliefs held by Kennedy. Nicole Shanahan talked about how, after discovering that her daughter had autism spectrum condition, she learned about children’s health.
