The FOX News, MAGA-inspired artificial buzz created around the candidacy of democrat outcast Robert F. Kennedy Jr failed almost immediately once it sprang from the gate. The idea was to field a misunderstood, albeit very competent, challenger to the incumbent [presumptive] nominee, then Joe Biden. With Bernie Sanders not challenging Joe in 2024 (as he had in 2020 and Hillary before him in 2016), the Right needed a spoiler candidate that would take support from an already frail Biden.

I’d love to say that everything was copasetic prior to the disastrous first presidential debate in 2024, but we’d seen a steady decline in the President’s physical and cognitive abilities as of the last couple of years. It’s a known fact that the presidency ages those who hold this highest of titles unlike any other government post. We’ve seen it with Clinton, Dubya, and Obama. The difference with Biden, however, is he was already past-it when he got in, and by the middle of his term, even his most diehard supporters were dreading his decision for 2024.

From the moment Biden took office, the Trumpers dug in for a long fight. Washington DC looked like a warzone. Fences were erected everywhere and soldiers guarded government buildings. It didn’t look like America. It certainly didn’t feel like it.

The MAGA Republicans didn’t let up. Donald Trump was so popular, he pretty much boycotted the GOP debates, and he walked into Milwaukee to claim a nomination that was his all along. It was clear – from the January 6th attempted coup – that the MAGA cult of personality overpowered any and all opposition in the GOP. Even Ron DeSantis, who some thought could pose some type of challenge, announced too early and was annihilated. Nikki Haley hung around a bit longer, only to get pounced on primary after primary. She now works for the Trump campaign (like a good little sellout). The Chris Christie’s, Mitt Romney’s, and Liz Cheney’s of the Party have become outcasts. Their political careers are virtually over. With complete control achieved and with lingering doubts as to the legitimacy of the 2020 election results very much alive, Trump’s base was poised on winning back The White House at all costs. This most definitely included backing a spoiler candidate like RFK Jr. with money, press, and credibility.

A lion’s share of RFK Jr.’s press came from Fox News, surely with Rupert Murdock’s direct blessing. Having an alleged democrat get coverage almost made the network’s old motto of “fair and balanced” seem somewhat plausible. It’s no wonder they officially ditched it in 2017, as the network is anything but fair.

Nonetheless, by giving Kennedy free support, it pressured more middle-of-the-road major networks to at least cover the longshot candidate to some extent. In addition to free airtime that wasn’t commensurate with his actual level of support, the would-be spoiler also received substantial amounts of money from Super PAC’s like America Values 2024. This particular Super PAC was funded heavily a Republican super donor who wrote a check for a whopping $5 million (providing more than 50% of the PAC’s war chest). More money started pouring in when Kennedy broke from the Democrat Party and went independent.

The experiment started to go south when the spoiler was spoiling the wrong candidacy.

Although Kennedy saw numbers greater than 5%, which is only slightly outside the margin of error, these numbers were significant in that they were coming mostly from Trump’s base. What happens when right-wing outlets give free coverage and support to someone not Donald Trump? Well undoubtedly it’s going to see folks reconsider their support. And that’s exactly what happened.

When the world’s most popular podcaster came dangerously close to endorsing Kennedy, it sent shockwaves throughout the Trump campaign. Even though Rogan would jump into damage-control-mode, doing his damnedest to downplay his remarks, it was of no use. The podcaster, who a year ago inked a $100 million deal with Spotify, gave RFK Jr. a huge bump at a tiime when Trump was reveling off his bromance with Elon Musk. And with Rogan asking for RFK Jr. to be allowed in the debates, Trump’s camp had to move swiftly.

There’s a reason former President George H.W. Bush refused to acknowledge H. Ross Perot on any level after 1992. It’s because the Texan cost him the 1992 presidential election. Although Kennedy’s support in 2024 is a fraction of what Perot’s was in the early to mid 1990’s, his inclusion due to right-wing media and financial support has seen him benefit as if he were getting Perot-like numbers.

For example, after the failed assassination attempt on Trump, Biden bowed to pressure from the Right and gave Kennedy secret service protection even though he was not a major presidential candidate. Even Perot who was polling as much as 20% of the vote in ’92 didn’t get that. Moreover, Biden didn’t give secret service protection to Jill Stein of the Green Party or to Chase Oliver of the Libertarian Party so why the special treatment for Kennedy? If he could secret service protection off a whim of the Right’s, maybe these powerful forces would carry on the charade and somehow get him on the debate stage. Could you imagine RFK Jr. wedged between The Donald and Kamala?

The Trump campaign couldn’t allow this to happen. They couldn’t sit idly by and watch what would be worse than a repeat of 1992. Unlike Bush in ’92, Trump isn’t president right now. So to allow Kennedy on that stage would only serve to hinder Trump’s already difficult road to 270.

There’s no question in my mind that Trump’s people made overtures to Kennedy’s camp. I’m quite certain back channel negotiations were a thing from the point Kennedy launched his independent candidacy in April. In fact, there was even leaked audio on TikTok of a conversation between RFK Jr. and Trump, put out out none other than by Kennedy’s son. The audio was later taken down at RFK Jr.’s request, per multiple media outlets. That said, it was time to pull the plug and let the two major candidates duke it out.

And with that, the anti-vaccine democrat darling of the Right suspended his campaign and ran to endorse Donald Trump. If Trump somehow manages to win back The White House, RFK Jr. will likely be given a mid-level post of some sort. The black sheep of the Kennedy clan will only be given so much. His endorsement is about as important as his artificial following was. He lacked any real traction with Democrats and only time will tell how much pull he had with actual independents. He was no Bernie Sanders nor was he a Jerry Brown or even a Dennis Kucinich. He had practically no support, even while milking his last name every chance he got. Democrats, but more specifically liberals and progressives, saw right through him.

We, progressives, were never fooled and RFK Jr. and he knew it. Thankfully, the Party is moving farther to the Left, thanks to Bernie, Tim Walz, and AOC. While we were very much in the backseat in 2016, we have made significant gains since. RFK Jr. never had a shot with liberals or progressives.

RFK Jr. was just a weak candidate. He was all hype and no substance. And it didn’t matter that he was up against an incumbent president. Just look at the 1976 GOP convention when Ronald Reagan nearly ripped the nomination away from sitting-president Gerald Ford. A strong candidate can overcome any obstacle, but Kennedy was nothing more than a Hail Mary of the Right; he was the trojan horse they hoped to use in Chicago. They prayed for a contested convention that never happened. And what they ended up with was a loser who had to tuck tail and run back to Donald Trump’s loving arms.