Staff Reports
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s latest escapade into presidential politics hit a snag, or maybe a rigged snare, courtesy of CNN. The independent candidate won’t share the debate stage in Atlanta next week. This outcome leaves the spotlight on the reigning members of the political duopoly: Democratic President Joe Biden and the presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump.
Kennedy’s absence from this debate is not due to a lack of trying. He fell short of CNN’s benchmarks for state ballot qualification and necessary polling, sparking suspicions about the debate host’s fairness. With Trump and Biden hogging the camera, Kennedy’s longshot bid for legitimacy gets another boot to the curb. One might think that a system constantly prattling about inclusivity would relish more voices, but clearly, some animals are more equal than others.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fails to qualify for CNN's debate. It'll be a showdown between Biden and Trump https://t.co/3jpqsP86rc
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 20, 2024
Apparently, there are two sides that agree on one thing: keeping Kennedy out of the running. Both the Biden and Trump camps seemingly view the independent as a wildcard that could spoil their tightly-contested cakewalk to November. After all, each vote Kennedy snatches could be a vote taken from their respective bases of support.
CNN’s criteria read like a playbook for an insider baseball game. The debate is a club with a high bar for entry, lining up obstacles like the 270 Electoral College votes and a polling threshold of 15% in four reliable national polls by June 20. Unsurprisingly, Trump and Biden easily cleared these arbitrary hurdles, though their formal nominations await the coronations by their respective flocks later this summer.
Kennedy’s contention that he’s on the ballot in 22 states, rallying a combined 310 Electoral College votes, seemingly isn’t enough. The numbers are murky, with California holding out certification until late August. Polls also dealt a blow to his aspirations, as Kennedy barely missed the cut, hitting the 15% mark in only three qualifying polls.
Icing the cake, Kennedy filed an election complaint last month accusing CNN of colluding with the Trump and Biden camps to box him out. According to Kennedy’s narrative, these convoluted rules ensure only the two establishment candidates qualify. CNN, unsurprisingly, dismissed the complaint as without merit.
Despite the hurdles, the debate invites have already been delivered to Biden and Trump for Atlanta and another duel on September 10 hosted by ABC. Both showdowns will bypass the longstanding nonpartisan commission that has traditionally handled debate hosting duties. After the CNN snub, Kennedy’s silence on future actions leaves one wondering if there’s more brewing in this political pot. The show must go on, but only for those vetted by the gatekeepers.
