Letter From America

Marion McKeone: Can RFK Jr’s billionaire running mate trigger an electoral nightmare for Biden?

Nicole Shanahan, a 38-year-old tech lawyer and entrepreneur, has been unveiled as the unlikely presidential candidate’s running mate

Robert F Kennedy Jr announces Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential running mate during an event in Oakland, California. His anti-establishment campaign could divide the Democratic vote and enable a Trump victory. Picture: Getty

The last time I was in Oakland, the ugly Californian sister to San Francisco, was in late January 2019, when Kamala Harris launched her 2020 presidential bid. A 20,000-strong crowd filled the historic Frank Ogowa Plaza and thronged the surrounding streets.

The launch was the high point of a campaign that quickly imploded amid inchoate messaging and fierce rivalry amongst its senior staff. Still, Harris made it onto the 2020 winning ticket, beating off a ...