Robert F. Kennedy Jr. apologized after a super PAC promoting his independent bid for the presidency aired a commercial during the Super Bowl on Sunday night that was publicly criticized by at least one member of his family.
“I’m so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain. The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God bless you,” Kennedy wrote on X/Twitter.
Despite his apology, the tweet containing the ad remains pinned to his X/Twitter profile.
RFK Jr, an environmental lawyer and prominent anti-vaxxer, launched his campaign for the White House last year as a Democrat but switched to an independent bid in the fall after failing to gain any traction in the Democratic primary.
American Values 2024 ran a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday that heavily relied on imagery from RFK Jr’s uncle and former president John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign.
The ad drew public criticism from at least one member of the Kennedy family, RFK Jr’s cousin Bobby Shriver.
“My cousin’s Super Bowl ad used our uncle’s faces- and my Mother’s. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA,” Shriver wrote. She strongly supported my health care work at @ONECampaign & @RED which he opposes.”
