A startling strategy proposed by a staffer of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s independent presidential campaign aimed at diverting votes to thwart President Joe Biden's re-election has come to light.
NBC News reported that Rita Palma, who was initially identified as the campaign's New York state director for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., outlined a scheme in a video presentation. This strategy aimed to block President Biden's path to re-election by diverting votes to Kennedy.
The ultimate goal of this maneuver was to force the presidential election into the House of Representatives, where Donald Trump could potentially be elected.
Palma's role within Kennedy’s campaign was later clarified as a "ballot access consultant," indicating her primary responsibility was for organizing volunteer shifts for signature collections in New York. Despite the clarification, her video presentation sparked significant attention.
In her video, Palma shared her disillusionment with Trump regarding vaccines but denounced Biden as a "mutual enemy" for both Trump and Kennedy's supporters. She outlined a blue-state-centered strategy that is predicated on depriving Biden of victories in states like New York. The logic underpinning her plans is that by shifting blue state votes to Kennedy, neither Trump nor Biden would amass the required 270 Electoral College votes, potentially swinging the decision to a GOP-controlled House which might favor Trump.
The "Make Your Republican Vote Count" strategy, as she coined it, focused on persuading Republicans in predominantly blue states to cast their ballots for Kennedy instead of Trump. This was predicated on the belief that it would indirectly remove Biden from power while sidestepping the direct support of Trump.
Following the dissemination of the video, which was later removed from YouTube due to backlash, Palma confirmed its authenticity to CNN. She disclosed her conditions for joining the campaign were centered around the unrestricted promotion of her strategy, aiming to unite both Kennedy and Trump supporters against Biden.
In response, Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox, emphasized the campaign's commitment to freedom of speech. Fox clarified that Palma's statements and proposed strategies did not reflect the campaign's official electoral strategy. They aimed to secure victory by winning over both former Trump and Biden supporters, without resorting to divisive tactics.
The controversy surrounding Palma's proposal stirred debates about the ethics and feasibility of such electoral strategies. While Palma argued that her plan was a "winning strategy" and that her overarching goal was to see Biden out of office, the Kennedy campaign sought to distance itself from her tactics.
Kennedy's campaign highlighted their diverse support base, coming "from all sides of the political spectrum," and reiterated that Palma's role did not involve shaping national or state electoral strategies. Indeed, her comments at a church in Poughkeepsie during a question-and-answer session reflected her personal views rather than the campaign's objectives.
Amaryllis Fox's statement underscores the campaign's stance on free speech, insisting that while they encourage open discourse among their staff and volunteers, they do not endorse views that claim to represent the campaign without authorization.
The revelation of Rita Palma's proposed strategy to divert votes from President Joe Biden to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s bid, in hopes of ultimately facilitating a return to office for Donald Trump, stirred a controversy within the political sphere. Through a complex strategy targeting blue states, Palma sought to upset the conventional electoral dynamics. However, following criticism and clarification of her role, the Kennedy campaign distanced itself from Palma's statements, emphasizing a broad, inclusive base of support and a commitment to free speech, albeit within the framework of the campaign's goals and strategies. This incident highlights the intricate and often controversial tactics that can emerge in the highly polarized landscape of American presidential elections.