BOSTON — John F. Kennedy harnessed the nation’s ambition in his moonshot speech in Houston. Robert F. Kennedy channeled its grief after his brother’s assassination two years later. Ted Kennedy quoted from “Ulysses” in defense of the liberal movement at Madison Square Garden.
And then, on Wednesday, came Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the family’s black sheep — rallying government conspiracy theorists, vaccine skeptics and Republicans from across the country as he launched his quixotic campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
No American political dynasty is more familiar with service, sacrifice and scandal than the Kennedys. But many of this Kennedy’s family members want nothing to do with their progeny’s all-but-doomed bid. Several of Kennedy’s siblings and relatives are openly backing President Joe Biden for a second term. Three of them are diplomats for his administration. Just a smattering of his children and grandchildren showed up for his launch. When reached by phone, one of his brothers, Joseph Kennedy, begged off a chance to talk about it all.
“Most American families, they never have any differences with each other. So when it happens with a family, it’s really huge news, like, everywhere,” the now-candidate Kennedy said to laughter from a standing-room crowd that packed the ballroom of the Boston Park Plaza hotel to see him.
