Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Accuses Trump and Biden of ‘Colluding’ to Keep Him From Debates: They’re ‘Afraid I Would Win’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused President Joe Biden and Donald Trump of “colluding” to keep him out of debates just minutes after CNN announced a date for the first debate between the two major candidates.
“Presidents Trump and Biden are colluding to lock America into a head-to-head match-up that 70% say they do not want,” Kennedy Jr. wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “They are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win. Keeping viable candidates off the debate stage undermines democracy.”
Biden took to social media on Wednesday morning to challenge Trump to two debates, one in June and another in September. Trump quickly agreed, calling Biden the “worst debater” he’s ever faced. Soon after, CNN announced June 27 as the date for the first debate. Some parameters include no audience and that the microphones for candidates will be cut when their allotted time to speak is over.
“By excluding me from the stage, Presidents Biden and Trump seek to avoid discussion of their eight years of mutual failure including deficits, wars, lockdowns, chronic disease, and inflation,” Kennedy Jr. wrote after the debate was confirmed.
The independent candidate was not explicitly barred from the debate. According to CNN, candidates simply need to meet the criteria for the debate. At this time, only Biden and Trump have qualified. Those qualifications include being on enough state ballots to realistically be able to earn 270 electoral votes and hitting 15% in four national polls.
Kennedy Jr. has qualified for the ballot in a handful of states and recently filed for Texas where his campaign says he has enough signatures to make the cut.
Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler was asked on Wednesday by CNN’s Jake Tapper if Kennedy Jr. should make the debate stage in September if he’s qualified. Tyler said the “reality” is only Biden or Trump can win the election.
“The American people deserve to hear from them because that is the reality we are facing,” he said. “That’s the choice in this election, so we should have a debate between the two candidates.”
Watch above via CNN.
