Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
failed to qualify for the CNN presidential debate on June 27 by the network’s Thursday deadline, according to the outlet, a significant blow to his independent presidential bid that will deny him a coveted national stage alongside President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.
To qualify, Mr. Kennedy needed to earn at least 15 percent support in four approved national polls. By Thursday, however, he had only three such polls — one from CNN, one from Quinnipiac University and one from Marquette University Law School.
Mr. Kennedy also needed to be officially on the ballot in enough states that he could win 270 votes in the Electoral College — the threshold for winning the presidency. As of Thursday, Mr. Kennedy had less than a third of that number, according to an analysis by The New York Times. He is officially on the ballot in only six states — California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Oklahoma and Utah — totaling 89 Electoral College votes.
The ballot access requirement was significantly more onerous for an independent presidential candidate than the polling requirement.
Mr.
Kennedy needed just one qualifying poll in the last month before the deadline to meet the polling requirement, though his standing in the polls has stalled in recent weeks
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Why is CNN so willing to risk committing a felony to keep RFK Jr. off of their debate stage?
Just include him. Don't risk the lawsuit.
Why die on this hill?
@DingoLunaLibertarian2yrs2Y
They can’t. Neither major party will allow it. They learned their lesson in 1992 and 1996 with Ross Perot. They will never allow a 3rd party on the debate stage again. Never.
If it’s one thing Republicans and Democrats agree on most wholeheartedly, it’s that the duopoly must continue over all else.
@Equ4lityDonnyVeteran2yrs2Y
You can’t have a third party in our winner take all system. In parliamentary systems you can, but here the third party is just going to hurt one of the parties disproportionately. That’s why our issues are so black and white. Change the system, we’ll get RFK up there
@VettedVoteJimmyDemocrat2yrs2Y
It's not a felony. The two political parties control the debate rules.
Because they know the DOJ will protect them. The DOJ has always protected the criminals and punished those who would bring about positive change. Just look at what the courts did to cover up the Franklin Scandal where children were raped by politicians. One victim became pregnant from being raped by the Chief of Police of Omaha, NE. They put her in prison for years citing perjury because she refused to change her story. This country is corrupt AF, and you think this petty *** felony will scare them? Better wake up and realize who you're dealing with.
Felony? Hes not even close to being on enough ballots to win the electoral college.
@CaviarJeffForward2yrs2Y
RFK's exclusion is too loud to ignore and irreparably hurts CNN's dying cred. I'd guess that watching Biden and Trump go at it will further fatigue the middle and make a third option more appealing, with four long months left
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