The Democratic National Committee is accusing RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign of acknowledging its role as a “spoiler” in November after a woman associated with the campaign was captured on video discussing campaign strategy.
“The only way that Trump can even, remote possibility of taking New York is if Bobby is on the ballot,” a self identified Kennedy campaign staffer, told a room of Republicans in New York in a video reviewed by Fox News Digital.
“If it’s Trump vs. Biden, Biden wins. Biden wins six days, seven days a week. With Bobby in the mix, anything can happen.”
“How do we block Biden from winning the presidency?” Palma said at another point in the video. “Again, that’s the number one priority for me.”
Former President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and President Joe Biden. (Getty Images)
Palma, who said she voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, explained that the “Kennedy voter and the Trump voter both consider Biden “our mutual enemy.”
Palma outlined a strategy based on the idea that Republicans have “accepted the fact” that “most of the northeast states” are “going to go blue” so if New Yorkers “give those 28 electoral votes to Bobby rather than to Biden” it would reduce Biden’s chance to get to the 270 votes needed to win the presidency and sent the decision to Congress where Trump would likely be picked so “we’re rid of Biden either way.”
The DNC quickly released a statement suggesting this video, which was first reported on by CNN, was further proof that RFK Jr.’s campaign is an effort to spoil the election for Biden, a charge Democrats have been consistently throwing at Kennedy and that have intensified in recent weeks.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. hosts a fireside chat with rapper and producer Eric B. at The Gentleman’s Factory on February 18, 2024 in New York City. (John Nacion/Getty Images)
“RFK Jr.’s campaign is saying the quiet part out loud: he is a spoiler for Donald Trump,” the press release from the Democrats argued.
“RFK Jr. was recruited into this race by Trump allies, his candidacy is propped up by Trump’s largest donor, and now his own staff admits that their number one goal in this election is stopping Joe Biden. As the saying goes, when people show you who they are, believe them: RFK Jr.’s campaign isn’t building a plan or a strategy to get 270 electoral votes, they’re building one to help Trump return to the Oval Office.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Kennedy campaign downplayed Palma’s role from a strategy standpoint.
“As an Independent movement, our supporters, volunteers, and field organizers come from all sides of the political spectrum and their reasons for supporting Mr. Kennedy are as disparate as their backgrounds,” the statement said.
“Rita Palma is a ballot access consultant responsible for scheduling volunteer shifts for our upcoming signature collection drive in the Empire State. She is not involved in electoral strategy, nationally or in New York. This was not a campaign event. Palma was speaking as a private citizen and her statements in no way reflect the strategy of the Kennedy campaign, which is to win the White House with votes from former Trump and Biden supporters alike.”
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a Buckeye Values PAC Rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Recent polls have shown Kennedy, Stein and independent candidate Dr. Cornel West would pull significant support from both Biden and Trump, but with Biden appearing to be at risk of losing the most potential votes.
“Bobby, right now, he’s pulling from both sides right now,” Palma said in the video. “He’s actually pulling a little bit more from Biden, which explains why the DNC is kind of ganging up on him.”
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In a Truth Social post last month, Trump made the case that Kennedy’s candidacy helps the MAGA agenda because of Kennedy’s “radical” record.
“RFK Jr. is the most Radical Left Candidate in the race, by far,” Trump wrote. “He’s a big fan of the Green New Scam, and other economy killing disasters. I guess this would mean he is going to be taking votes from Crooked Joe Biden, which would be a great service to America.”
“His running mate, Nicole Shanahan, is even more “Liberal” than him, if that’s possible. Kennedy is a Radical Left Democrat, and always will be!!! It’s great for MAGA, but the Communists will make it very hard for him to get on the Ballot. Expect him, and her, to be indicted any day now, probably for Environmental Fraud! He is Crooked Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, not mine. I love that he is running!”