An advertisement posted to X by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday, July 10, has drawn criticism for its portrayal of news anchors seemingly endorsing Kennedy for president. The ad, which splices together various news clips, included quoted statements that were originally made in reference to President Joe Biden, not Kennedy. This manipulation of context has led to accusations of misleading advertising tactics.
The ad begins with news excerpts praising Kennedy’s supposed abilities: “He knows how to work across the aisle, he knows how to weed out corruption. He says he knows how to deal with Ukraine on day one of his presidency. He’s strong on inflation, he’s strong on affordable housing.”
These statements, when pieced together, create the impression that the news anchors are endorsing Kennedy as a presidential candidate.
“This is so misleading and deceptive,” CNN’s Jake Tapper said on X. “It should be taken down at once. The quotes are falsely clipped together.”
In response, Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, defended the ad, arguing that it accurately represents Kennedy’s positions and capabilities.
Kennedy himself addressed the controversy, criticizing what he perceives as a biased reaction from the media.
“They call anything that challenges their worldview a ‘lie’ or ‘misinformation,’” Kennedy said on X.
The clash follows another recent incident where Kennedy disputed a Vanity Fair report that alleged he was pictured with a dog carcass, which he claims was actually a goat.
Kennedy continues to push for his candidacy, actively petitioning for a place on state ballots.
Recent polling data from FiveThirtyEight and Pew Research indicates Kennedy is polling at 10%-15% in a three-way race post-debate. While his chances of winning remain slim, his growing support suggests a potential impact on the race.