There seems to be a lot of confusion about where 2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy, Jr. stands on the issue of abortion.
The Washington Post recently ran an article raising questions about Kennedy’s “mixed signals” regarding a federal abortion ban and late-term abortion.
Since then, the pundits and his political opponents have gone wild with speculation as to what RFK Jr.’s position actually is — often putting words in his mouth he didn’t actually say, or misinterpreting what he meant.
I was interviewed by the Post’s writer Meryl Kornfeld for the article. My quotes are highlighted below:
The Post article is paywalled. If you’re not a subscriber here’s my quotes from the article about RFK’s abortion rights policy.
Trump-affiliated Republican news outlets and social media accounts took Kennedy’s recent comments from an interview with Sage Steele out of context, posting short clips such as this one that don’t tell the whole story.
RFK Jr. on abortion: “I believe we should leave it to the woman, we shouldn’t have the government involved … Even if it’s full term.”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 9, 2024
On May 10, Mr. Kennedy clarified his stance on abortion with a statement posted to X:
Abortion has been a notoriously divisive issue in America, but actually I see an emerging consensus — abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks, and restricted thereafter. Even in the reddest of red states, voters reject total abortion bans. And on the other…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 11, 2024
Kennedy remains pro-choice, as he always has been.
However, he added in his statement, Kennedy has developed a policy called “More Choices, More Life,” which aims to reduce the numbers of abortions and provides more options for expectant mothers.
“We can reduce abortion across the board by supporting motherhood, supporting parents, and supporting families,” Kennedy said. “Soon we’ll unveil our plan for universally affordable child care, which will cap child care expenses at 10% for most families. And we will support women in need so that abortion isn’t their only choice.”
2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy Jr. has been under attack from every direction in recent weeks, evidencing the threat he poses to the two-party system.
Since the addition of Nicole Shanahan to the ticket as #RFK’s running mate, #Democrats are growing increasingly concerned about the electoral impact Kennedy might have on President #Biden’s re-election chances.
Biden continues to trail behind former president #Trump in the polls — but not by much; a percentage point or two, within the margin of error.
That means November is shaping up to be a very close contest, and already #RFKJr is being made the scapegoat for whichever party loses.
Democrats are calling him a spoiler for MAGA, saying that a vote for Bobby is a vote for Trump.
Republicans call him a spoiler for Biden, saying that a vote for Bobby is a vote for Biden.
Both the Biden and Trump camps are also deploying scare tactics to frighten away potential RFK voters by falsely labeling him some sort of extremist.
Donald Trump called Kennedy a “Marxist, far-left radical” this week, in what seemed a desperate attempt to bring #MAGA voters who might vote for Kennedy back into the fold. His son Donald Trump Jr. and Fox News Trump mouthpiece Sean Hannity also hit hard at RFK this week, attacking his environmental record and other “loony liberal” policies.
Democratic Party operatives like Lis Smith and Keith Olbermann, meanwhile, are labeling the Kennedy/Shanahan ticket as “far-right,” “MAGA,” and even “fascist!”
Their media lapdogs launched a series of hit pieces this week attacking Kennedy’s stances on everything from #abortion to puberty blockers, gun control, and the #Gaza war.
Then came the “brain worms” story that caused a feeding frenzy, providing late-night comedy fodder and even prompting Kennedy to crack a few jokes about it.
We will discuss all that and more on Episode 31 of the “Kennedy Americans” podcast, with our panel of #Kennedy24 campaign volunteers, social media influencers, and voters.
Join us as we respond to these media smears and distortions of his policies. We set the record straight about where Kennedy really stands on the issues that matter most to Americans.
I appeared on “The Homeless Left” Thursday to debate my dear friend Craig “Pasta” Jardula on 2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy, Jr.’s support for #Israel.
Pasta is a former supporter of #RFKJr’s presidential bid, but changed his mind last October after Kennedy announced his endorsement of Israel’s war against #Hamas.
In this respectful debate between friends, I try to convince Pasta that #RFK’s position on the #Gaza war is actually the correct one, and that Kennedy stands with the innocents of #Palestine who are caught in the crossfire of a war started by Hamas.
You might know Craig “Pasta” Jardula from “The Convo Couch” and “The Jimmy Dore Show,” where he is an occasional co-host. His new show is “The Homeless Left” on the Pasta2Go channel. Watch the full 5-hour super stream here.
My thanks to Pasta and Matt Weinglass for such a great debate!
DISCLOSURE: I have endorsed RFK Jr. for president and am a volunteer recruiter on the #Kennedy24 campaign. I am not a spokesperson for Mr. Kennedy. All views expressed herein are solely my own. Join Team Kennedy with me at http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer.
This week 2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy, Jr. added three more states to his quest to get on the ballot across America: California, Ohio, and my home state of Oklahoma.
Kennedy’s electors filed the paperwork Thursday at the Oklahoma State Capitol, and paid a $35,000 fee to achieve ballot access.
The Kennedy campaign has launched a robust ballot access plan to ensure the Kennedy-Shanahan ticket is on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“We have the field teams, volunteers, legal teams, paid circulators, supporters, and strategists ready to get the job done,” said Stefanie Spear, campaign press secretary. “We are exceeding all our ballot access benchmarks and will announce new states each week.”
It was a special pleasure for me to see Mr. Kennedy get on the ballot in my state.
I started working to help get him there 17 years ago, when I participated in a Draft Kennedy campaign in 2007, asking him to seek the nation’s highest office.
With Bobby Kennedy at the University of Oklahoma, April 18, 2008
16 years ago I tried to convince @RobertKennedyJr to run for president. (This photo was taken at my alma mater, the University of #Oklahoma in April 2008.)
DISCLOSURE: I have endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president and am a volunteer recruiter on the Kennedy24 campaign. Join me at http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer.
Episode 36 of “Strange Bedfellows” takes you to #Jerusalem, where we speak with Avi Abelow, movie producer and advocate for #Israel, the place he now calls home.
Avi served in the Israel Defense Forces and has a unique perspective on the #Gaza war that we don’t often hear in the Western media.
Tonight you’ll hear what is really going on, beyond the headlines, with Israel and the Jewish people.
Despite the demonization of Israel’s war on social media, Avi says “we are the good guys!”
This interview will challenge everything you know (or think you know) about the war.
We will discuss the #IDF’s invasion of #Rafah, the history behind the war, and why Avi says Israel has no choice but to fight until victory and smash #Hamas.
He will also share his thoughts on the pro-#Palestine protests on American college campuses — including his alma mater, #ColumbiaUniversity, as well as rising #antisemitism against #Jews around the world.
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Avi Abelow is a proud Jew, born and raised in New York City. He is now “living the Jewish dream in the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people.” He’s the host of “The Pulse of Israel” podcast, and CEO of 12 Tribes Film Foundation.
We are pleased to have Avi with us tonight, live from Jerusalem, to give you the true pulse of Israel.
A fascinating conversation is always guaranteed on “Strange Bedfellows.”
Join us tonight from 9-11 P.M. Eastern on the Maverick News Network.
On Episode 33 of “Strange Bedfellows” I reported on the mysterious disappearance of my friend Russell “Texas” Bentley, who vanished from #Donetsk on April 8th.
After 20 days of speculation as to whether Russell was dead or alive, it has now been confirmed by his wife Lyudmila that he was indeed murdered.
The 64 year-old Bentley, an American citizen, left his #Austin, #Texas home in 2014 to fight for #Russia in the #Donbass region of #Ukraine. He joined the armed forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic and served numerous combat missions. After aging out of military service, Russell worked as a reporter for #Sputnik television news.
On the day he disappeared, Russell was on his way to investigate the scene of a Ukrainian shelling in his capacity as a journalist. He never returned.
His white Niva car was later found burned and blown up at the brick factory in the Petrovsky district of Donetsk, almost at the front line. Inside were Russell’s remains.
His body was incinerated. Collected fragments were taken for DNA analysis to make a positive identification.
After days of being stonewalled by local authorities, Russell’s widow Lyudmila released a video statement in which she made a desperate appeal directly to Russian president Vladimir #Putin for help.
After Lyudmila’s video appeal to the president, “the matter was taken up at the top” by Moscow military authorities, who quickly arrested members from the 5th Tank Brigade of the Russian Federation.
The still-unnamed alleged killers were said in a statement posted April 28th by Lyudmila on Russell’s official Telegram channel to be “werewolf extortionists.” (“Werewolves” are soldiers with loyalties to Ukraine inside the Russian armed forces.)
The soldiers were apparently intending to rob Russell Bentley, thinking him a wealthy American, before killing him and attempting to dispose of his body.
A criminal investigation has been opened into Bentley’s violent and mysterious death. What we now know provides more questions than answers.
On this edition of Maverick News we have a new interview with Russell’s widow Lyudmila and her attorney with the latest details on the case.
Protesters clash with police on the UCLA campus, Los Angeles
2024 Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy Jr. has been strangely silent the past few weeks about the #antisemitic, pro-#Hamas protests happening on college campuses.
Although #RFKJr has been asked about it in recent interviews, and answers briefly in a lawyerly manner about the difference between demonstrations on public vs. private property, he has otherwise completely avoided talking about the issue.
While every other candidate in the presidential race issued statements on this national crisis immediately, Kennedy waited nearly three weeks before speaking up.
Kennedy finally posted a tweet about the campus unrest Saturday outlining what he would do as president to ensure fairness to all students on campus, but said nothing about what he would do to stop the lawlessness and violence we are witnessing on campuses across America.
American universities can be part of the solution in the Middle East. We should welcome protest, yes — but also foster debate and dialogue to reach common ground. We should be producing leaders and innovations to help build a new, peaceful future for the region.
Instead, we see…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 5, 2024
Kennedy has proclaimed himself to be strongly pro-Israel, and supports #Israel’s war against Hamas. At the same time, he says he is “very pro-Palestinian,” and supports the two-state solution that would establish #Palestine as an independent sovereign nation.
Is Kennedy doing the same “both sides” dance as President #Biden, afraid of losing progressive Democrats and Gen Z voters? Are his campaign advisers telling Bobby to tone down his pro-Israel rhetoric in order to appease the woke mob?
At a time when #antisemitism escalating to frightening levels, #Jews are being assaulted in the streets, and some protesters are issuing calls to “kill all the Zionists,” it feels like open season on Jews.
The exclusion of Jewish “#Zionists” from campuses, establishment of “Zionist-free zones,” Jewish students not being allowed to attend class, acts of harassment, intimidation and violence, hate speech and symbols of Jew hatred on campus property are all flagrant violations of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — which is not being enforced by campus administrators, state governments, or the federal government.
On this edition of Maverick News we ask why President #Biden isn’t doing what President John F. #Kennedy did: send in the National Guard to protect the rights of ALL students, stop the violence, enforce the law of the land, and restore order on campus.
The Kennedy legacy is civil rights. It is time for #RFK to pick up the mantle of #JFK and his father, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, on this divisive issue that is tearing our nation apart, and undoing 60 years of racial progress started by his ancestors.
His uncle Jack’s campaign slogans during the 1960 were “a time for greatness,” and “leadership for the 60s.” Can his nephew meet that high standard now? Because this is a time for greatness, not timidity. We need moral clarity and leadership for the 20s, right now.
Now is the time for Kennedy to shine; to lead; to do something bold.
I’ll tell you what that is tonight on Maverick News. Join us at 9 PM Eastern.
Join us tonight on “Strange Bedfellows” for an important conversation about what’s wrong in black America, and most importantly, how we as a country can heal that self-inflicted wound.
Our guest is filmmaker Kenneth Jefferson, whose new documentary “Fatal Error” has been called “the most profound film on the internet” by Reelblack One.
“Fatal Error” is a short documentary that focuses on a major cultural issue within the black community that many are aware of but have either ignored or have never truly thought about.
This fatal error has led to the destruction of the black community from within.
How? By glorifying “pimp and ho” culture, gang affiliation, violent role models, gangsta rap, drug use and trafficking, and a life of crime.
Jefferson, director of “Fatal Error” believes that if this cultural issue is resolved, that it will trigger a mass awakening in the black community that will have major effects in the United States and the world as a whole.
“Fatal Error” is the first part of a multitiered plan meant to influence a radical cultural shift that the filmmaker believes is on par with other ideological revolutions such as Martin Luther’s 95 Theses or The Enlightenment.
Kenneth Jefferson is a middle school teacher and social activist who made “Fatal Error” as a labor of love, in hopes of saving Black America from itself — before it’s too late.
In an opinion article published by The New York Post Thursday, Douglas Murray wrote:
“This one is for the morons.
For the students busily cosplaying at being terrorists on our city’s campuses.
The automatons whose new radical-chic uniform is an Arab keffiyeh.
Specifically to the ones who have decided to chant for “Intifada” and unveil a vast banner down the side of Hamilton Hall at #Columbia this week.
“Intifada,” the banner said, in huge letters as the mob below shrieked approval.
Most of these students weren’t born when the Palestinians last had an “Intifada.”
Murray’s article went on to describe just a few of the terror attacks upon #Israel that happened during the second #Intifada, in a desperate attempt to give America’s youth a quick education in recent history that they’re not old enough to have any firsthand memory of, and that obviously wasn’t taught to them at their Ivy League schools.
But will the message reach them? Will facts convince them at this point? They’ve gone down a rabbit hole of #propaganda so deep, and been so thoroughly indoctrinated by their professors, it may be impossible to deprogram them with any amount of brain bleach.
The anti-Zionist hatred they’ve learned from their #Marxist theory professor is reinforced daily by their favorite online influencers: Richard Medhurst, Scott Ritter, Max Blumenthal, Jimmy Dore, Col. Douglas MacGregor, George Galloway, Candace Owens…the list goes on.
Some of these well-known political commentators present themselves as journalists, but they’re not. They’re propagandists, doing public relations work for Hamas, Qatar, and Iran as soldiers on the front lines of the information war — and right now, Hamas is winning.
On this episode of Maverick News, Rick and I discuss the escalating intimidation and violence against #Jews at the #Gaza Solidarity Encampments across America, the social media propagandists who are stoking this fire of #antisemitism and #hate, and who’s funding them.
From #CUNY to #UCLA to my old Alma Mater, the University of Texas at #Austin, thousands of young college students are being hoodwinked by #Hamas, through their paid mouthpieces.
We’ll show you some pretty shocking videos from the riots on university campuses this week, and examples of the #antisemitic propaganda that our kids consume on the regular.
At Maverick News, we don’t do propaganda for foreign enemies. We report the news, and tell you the truth as best we can discern it — because truth without integrity is worth nothing.
This episode opens with an editorial from Maverick News CEO Rick Walker, then I join the program to add my perspective. It’s an important conversation between two veteran journalists you won’t want to miss. Please join us tonight at 8:30 Eastern.
Protesters decorated a statue of President George Washington with Palestinian flags, stickers, keffiyehs, and signs at the university bearing his name in Washington, D.C.
As students protesting the #Israel-#Hamas war at college campuses across U.S. dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, some universities moved to shut down encampments after reports of antisemitic activity among the protesters.
With the death toll mounting in the war in #Gaza, protesters nationwide are demanding that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling the conflict. Some Jewish students say the #protests have veered into #antisemitism and made them afraid to set foot on campus.
Early today police in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston while several dozen students shouted and booed at them from a distance. Massachusetts State Police said about 102 protesters who refused to disperse were arrested and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.
The school said in a statement that the demonstration, which began two days ago, had become “infiltrated by professional organizers” with no affiliation to the school and antisemitic slurs, including “kill the #Jews,” had been used.
“We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus,” the statement posted on the social media platform X said.
The University of Pennsylvania took similar action Friday when interim President J. Larry Jameson called for an encampment of protesters on the west Philadelphia campus to be disbanded, saying it violates the university’s facilities policies, though about 40 tents remained in place Saturday morning.
The “harassing and intimidating comments and actions” by some protesters violate the school’s open expression guidelines as well as state and federal law, Jameson said, and vandalism of a statue with antisemitic graffiti was “especially reprehensible and will be investigated as a hate crime.”
At Columbia University, where protesters have inspired pro-#Palestine demonstrations across the country, negotiations continued with the student encampment.
The university’s senate passed a resolution Friday that created a task force to examine the administration’s leadership, which last week called in police in an attempt to clear the protest, resulting in scuffles and more than 100 arrests.
Though the university has repeatedly set and then pushed back deadlines for the removal of the encampment, the school sent an email to students Friday night saying that bringing back police “at this time” would be counterproductive.
Also Friday, Columbia student protester Khymani James walked back comments made in an online video in January that recently received new attention. James said in the video that “#Zionists don’t deserve to live” and people “should be grateful” James wasn’t killing them.
James, who served as a spokesperson for the pro-Palestinian encampment as a member of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, was banned from campus Friday, according to a Columbia spokesperson.
Protest organizers said James’ comments didn’t reflect their values. They declined to describe James’ level of involvement with the demonstration.
But the tensions pile pressure on school officials, who are already scrambling to resolve the protests as May graduation ceremonies near.
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, gave protesters who have barricaded themselves inside a building since Monday until 5 p.m. Friday to leave and “not be immediately arrested.” The deadline came and went. Only some of the protesters left; others doubled down. After protesters rebuffed police earlier in the week, the campus was closed for the rest of the semester.
In Colorado, police swept through an encampment Friday at Denver’s Auraria Campus, which hosts three universities and colleges, arresting about 40 protesters on trespassing charges.
In France, students at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, which counts President Emmanuel Macron among its many famous alumni, students blocked access to a campus building and classes went online as the wave of protests reached overseas.
Tonight on “Strange Bedfellows” we welcome back Na’omi Allen in South Africa, history blogger and proud Zionist, who argues that Israel’s war against Hamas is justified and that the protests erupting at college campuses worldwide are celebrations of antisemitism.
Last time Na’omi was with us on Episode 28, she predicted that “a second #Holocaust” is coming, and that “it will start in New York City.”
Currently #NYC has four large anti-Israel campus protests in full swing — more than any other city in the United States. Na’omi will explain why she thinks this is a dangerous trend.
Also joining us is Kevin Michelizzi, our Maverick News correspondent in #Crimea, #Russia, to discuss the “other war” in his neck of the woods, and the $60 billion aid package passed by the U.S. Congress this week, and how this influx of money and weapons will affect the ongoing war in #Ukraine.
Tonight’s international panel will include four countries (possibly five, depending on whether you view Crimea as Russia or Ukraine!):
Rick Walker in Canada
Lori Spencer in the United States
Kevin Michelizzi in Crimea
Na’omi Allen in South Africa
A fascinating conversation is always guaranteed on “Strange Bedfellows.” Join us LIVE from 9-11 P.M. Eastern.
Lori Spencer 