MELVILLE, New York — Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is seeking the presidency as an Independent candidate after initially filing to run as a Democrat. Kennedy has attracted much attention as the son of Bobby Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Among his political stands are strong support for the environment, reining in the military-industrial complex, ending chronic disease epidemics, and strengthening the rights of Native Americans and Black Americans. But Kennedy is also quite controversial, particularly because he is viewed as an “anti-vaxxer,” a charge he denies. Yet he said in a podcast that “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and he said in an interview with Fox’s Jesse Watters that “I do believe that autism comes from vaccines.” He is a supporter of Israel and has called Israel’s war against Hamas “a moral war,” though his running mate Nicole Shanahan disagrees with Kennedy on this issue, believing that “Israel should be showing more restraint.” What has Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in reference to Jews that has raised eyebrows in the Jewish community?
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
By Mark D. Zimmerman
A. In an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News, Kennedy stated, “I’m not against all vaccines. Edward Jenner did a great thing creating the smallpox vaccine. And the Jewish guys, Salk and Sabin, they figured out polio. But now we just rush into these things, giving kids autism, and basically killing people.”
B. In speaking about COVID-19 at a New York press event, Kennedy said that the disease is “targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”
C. Kennedy complained in an interview with Neil Cavuto on Fox News that he has had great difficulty scheduling interviews on other network news shows. “I’ve reached out to NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times, even the Wall Street Journal. I keep being put off. I’m not saying someone is controlling all the media, though it sure looks like it. I’m just saying that someone does not like me, and maybe his name is Soros.”
D. In discussing his brain worm with CNN’s Jake Tapper, who is Jewish, Kennedy said, “It must have come from pork. You know, trichinosis, which of course you Jewish guys never get.”
E. In Kennedy’s memoir, Lessons I Learned from My Family, he wrote about how he met his now wife, Cheryl Hines, co-star of Curb Your Enthusiasm, through show creator Larry David. Before things got too serious between the couple, Kennedy asked David for his blessing, but David said, “I may be the Yente who made the match, but I’m not Tevye, offering my blessing. You can ask for the Tsar’s blessing for all I care.” To which Kennedy replied, “Oh yeah, well in that case, may God bless and keep the Jews, including you, far away from us.”