Will RFK Jr. run for President?

[RFKJrNews]

Since his riproaring speech at LIVE EARTH two weeks ago, a helluva lot of folks have been wondering aloud, "why isn't this guy running for President?"

Just wanted to let you know that we have started an online petition to Draft RFK Jr. into the 2008 presidential race. Please visit our website to find out more at http://RFKin2008.com

One of the best ways to let a potential candidate know you support them is with a draft petition. The more signatures we collect, the greater consideration Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is likely to give the idea of a run for the presidency in 2008.

A recent draft petition for Al Gore garnered over 100,000 signatures! This can be a powerful way to send a message to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as well. There is strength in numbers!

Please show Bobby your support and sign the petition today. He needs to hear from all of us right now! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, church and civic groups, tell anybody who will listen. Use the “email friends” feature on our petition to send out multiple emails at once.

Please tell your MySpace friends about the petition, add a link to your blog, to message boards, anything you can do to help get the word out is appreciated.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF RFK JR.!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION IF YOU WANT RFK JR. ENTER THE 2008 RACE!
http://RFKin2008.com

[YDogg]

1. No. I doubt it.

Although when I heard him speak a few years ago, he was magnificent.

[polichick]

2. Thanks for posting this...

He's a wonderful person and a true patriot!

[jgraz]

3. Kennedy/Pappantonio 2008

As good as any other ticket I've considered.

[CountAllVotes]

4. signed & a kick!

We need you Mr. Kennedy! The world needs you! Please run for President of the United States! You will win if you run! Thank you!

:patriot:

:kick:

[saltpoint]

5. Have no idea if he wants in the race but if I pick up a newspaper

and learn that he's interested, I'm more than interested in being represented by someone of his gleaming credentials.

He's an example of truly heroic citizenship.

And there's more than a few of us who were extraordinarily fond of his father and uncle John.

[L. Coyote]

6. RFK Jr. would make a great addition to the debates.

But, given his government experience, I have to say "Gore/Kennedy" is the way to go.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. its not going to happen

nor is Al Gore going to enter the race baring an unforeseen turn of events. And I doubt that Wesley Clark is going to enter the race.

I would be quite happy to see any of those choices and would probably back one of them. I certainly would prefer RFK Jr to any of the top-tier candidates. But the simple truth is the candidates have already announced and those are the choices.

[charlyvi]

8. Every Kennedy who has run for or been elected to the Office

has been assassinated, with the exception of Teddy who lost his run to Carter largely because of Chappaquidick (sp?). Therefore, Teddy was not deemed a threat by the right wing wackos. Hatred of liberals has grown rampant since then; if I were RFK Jr., I'd have to think about that long and hard. It's not just history to the Kennedy family--it's very personal. I think he'd make a great candidate but would his family want to see him run?

[RFKJrNews]

9. It's not too late for him to declare

Remember, it's still early in the game, folks. The gate is not yet closed, the election is still a year and 4 months away, much as we might wish it were tomorrow.

It is certainly risky for any Kennedy to walk out the front door (with assassins always lurking in the bushes...whoops, did I say "Bushes"? Freudian slip, sorry...), but after seeing his speech at LIVE EARTH, I must say that RFK Jr. does not look afraid to me.

He looked like a man up there fighting the good fight, willing to give his life for his country, as ANY brave soldier would.

Why be afraid, anyway? What good does that do?

Was George Washington afraid of being beheaded by the British for treason?

Was Abraham Lincoln afraid of taking a stand for what he believed in?

Was John F. Kennedy afraid of the right-wing whackos who were constantly threatening his life?

Was RFK Sr. afraid of the ruthless mafia thugs he was prosecuting?

Was MLK afraid when he took to the stage in Memphis on April 3, 1968 and said "I have been to the mountaintop. I'm not fearing any man!" Did he hide in his hotel room when he knew of the threats on his life that very day?

How much blood did we have to shed in this country over 100+ years just to give blacks equal rights? How many gave their lives so willingly for that cause?

Historically, revolution always requires sacrifice. Sad but true.

Sorry for the rant! Guess you could say I'm rather passionate about this stuff. Although I pray every day for God to protect RFK Jr. and his family. Every single day. We don't need another Kennedy martyr.

[CountAllVotes]

11. Great post!

and you have stated every reason why RFK Jr. should run for President of the United States. He would make a fine president and he would restore democracy to the USA!

Thank you!

:kick:

[charlyvi]

12. I didn't say he was afraid. Read the post.

It's very easy for you to say he should not consider the risk. You are not a member of his family. He has small children, his mother, aunts and uncle know what he would face. A man, or woman, who runs for office must take into consideration the wishes of his/her family. Doing so does not make him a coward. He knows what it was like growing up without a father; I hardly think he would want that for his own children. As I said, it's very easy for you to expound the virtues of sacrifice and shedding blood for one's country on a message board--you aren't a Kennedy and you haven't sacrificed a father and an uncle. There are many ways to serve one's country, being President is just one of them. If he decides to choose another, no one has the right to question his decision. And if he should choose to run, that will be his decision also. But to demand more sacrifice from a family that has literally given it's blood for this country, and to call him afraid if he does not, is just plain wrong.

[RFKJrNews]

13. Remember that...

...Washington, Lincoln, JFK, and MLK had families, too.

My last name isn't Kennedy, but can relate just a little bit to how RFK Jr. might feel. I lost a parent when I was nine. My father was a crusading politician in Texas and constantly endured threats against his life and family. But that didn't stop him.

No one knows better than I what it's like to grow up without a father who gave his life for a noble cause.

You just try your best to live your life by the same ideals and principles that they did. It is how you honor their memory.

[charlyvi]

14. Exactly.

And I this RFK Jr. is doing just that. And I am very, very sorry for what you had to go through. But to say that he should run, and not take into account his family's wishes, for or against; to not think of his family history as though he owes a greater responsibility to us than his own children, is wrong. And to imply that these deliberations would engender "fear" in him rather than a mature, informed decision, is also wrong. As I said, there are other ways to serve one's country--being President is only one of them. He's doing a pretty good job of serving with what he's doing now.

[RFKJrNews]

15. Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

"And to imply that these deliberations would engender "fear" in him rather than a mature, informed decision, is also wrong."

Charlyvi, please go back and read my original post. I said exactly the opposite. I said that at LIVE EARTH, Kennedy sure didn't look or sound like a guy who was afraid of anything or anyone. Period.

Being that he's no fool, we can only assume that Bobby had already considered what he was doing and had made a mature, informed decision before he let fly with those powerful words at LIVE EARTH. He also has known for quite some time that there is a movement to draft him, and so far, he sure hasn't done anything to discourage us.

We can ask him to run, but only *he* can decide whether or not to enter the race, if the hard work and danger is worth putting his family at risk. But quite frankly, that's none of my business. Or yours.

If you are so concerned for his safety, would you volunteer to join us at rallies and form a human shield to protect him? Are you that committed to making sure his kids don't grow up without their father?

I'll make the pledge to do that right now. Because I care that much.

[MonkeyFunk]

10. No

[MasonJar]

16. Robert is wonderful and does immeasurable good for the environment

on a daily basis just like Gore. It is a little late for this race, but I wish he would consider 2016. However, that said, I would be very worried about him since the crazies are even crazier now than in the 60s.

[RFKJrNews]

17. Safe to say...

...we're ALL worried about him. And his family. But that doesn't mean we should discourage him if he wants to run. That's his choice.

Three things to consider...

1) George Bush is the most despised president in our nation's history, and he has not been assassinated.

2) Our soldiers in Iraq get more bullets fired at them every day than all the Kennedys put together.

3) RFK Jr. could get hit by a bus tomorrow while crossing the street. You could. I could.

The only thing that matters is what higher purpose we serve during our short time on this earth. Because once we shuffle off this mortal coil, all we can do is look back with regret and say, "damn, I wish I would have...(fill in the blank)"

Finally, RFK Jr., in his own words: (from On Point, 2/17/2005 Source:http://www.eande.tv/showAssets/related/021705/021705transcript.html

Darren Samuelsohn: Do you see yourself running for elected office?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: I could. I live my life one day at a time. I'm gonna go where I think God wants me to go and where I can be most effective. And that's the way that I live my life.