Letter From America

Marion McKeone: In Robert F Kennedy Jr, the Democrats have their own conspiracy-theorising crank

The Kennedy name triggers sentimentality for America’s lost promise, but this particular curmudgeon is unlikely to succeed Joe Biden in the White House

Robert F Kennedy Jr and his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines: it doesn’t take a shrink to deduce that Democrats don’t want RFK jr; rather, they crave the Kennedy brand. Picture: Getty

I’ll say one thing for Robert F Kennedy jr’s campaign: it definitely has the best merchandise. For starters, it’s actually wearable; his tie-dye T-shirts evoke fun and summer festivals, while the retro pale blues emblazoned with the Kennedy name recall the minimalist cool of the Sixties – even for those of us who weren’t around.

There’s none of the brash vulgarity or hate-infused slogans of the Trump or DeSantis tat. Just a name that triggers ...