Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being used by conservatives, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) in an NBC News interview on Friday.
Newsom responded, "He's clever enough not to be used," when asked by NBC's Chuck Todd if he believed Kennedy was being used. He is being exploited, though, and he is aware of what he is doing.
Kennedy is a conspiracy theorist and the public face of the anti-vaccine movement, propagating rumors that vaccinations lead to the development of disorders like autism, allergies, cancer, and other illnesses in children.
He said in April that he would run for president in 2024. Right-wing Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones have praised the Democrat's presidential bid. According to Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, who is also running for president in 2024, Kennedy would make a fantastic running mate for Trump, NBC News reported.
According to Newsom, who formerly worked as an environmental lawyer and activist, Kennedy is one of his "great inspirations on the environment," although he disagrees with Kennedy on many of his current political views and stances, such as his comments regarding vaccines.
The two had a disagreement last year about Sirhan Sirhan's decision to be released from prison after killing Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for president at the time. Politico reported that Kennedy insisted Sirhan was innocent and that Newsom obstructed the release.
"I sincerely wish him the best. I have a lot of respect for him, his children, and his wife. But yeah, his politics have changed, and I simply don't buy it," Newsom remarked.
Kennedy was contacted by HuffPost for comment, but no response was given right away.
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