Robert F. Kennedy Jr. formally announced on Tuesday that he was choosing wealthy attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his running mate in his bid for the presidency.
Mediaite’s Diana Falzone was first to report earlier this month that Shanahan, who has been involved in Kennedy’s campaign, was his expected pick for the job. “They align on numerous issues,” a source told Mediaite at the time, adding Shanahan, with her deep pockets, could help Kennedy with badly needed ballot access.
Kennedy planned to bring Shanahan on stage at an announcement event in her hometown of Oakland, California. He introduced her as an “avid surfer” and an “advocate” who has used artificial intelligence to take on government and big industries.
Shanahan, who was once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, has been a supporter of Kennedy’s long-shot bid for the presidency since he announced his run as a Democrat. After Kennedy switched to the Independent ticket, Shanahan was responsible for his widely-discussed Super Bowl ad that incorporated a vintage campaign jingle from his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy family were upset by the ad, though Kennedy kept it pinned to his account for some time even after their complaints and his apology.
In an interview with The New York Times in February, Shanahan said of the ad — and her support of Kennedy:
“It seems like a great opportunity to highlight that he’s running for president,” Ms. Shanahan said. She said part of her motivation was concern about the environment, vaccines and children’s health, and her belief that Mr. Kennedy was willing to challenge the scientific establishment.
“I do wonder about vaccine injuries,” she said, although she clarified that she is “not an anti-vaxxer,” but wanted more screening of risks for vaccinations. “I think there needs to be a space to have these conversations.”
She also said she supports Kennedy’s environmental policies: “I do think we have an environmental health crisis in this country. I do believe Americans deserve clean water. And we can’t achieve that in the current climate of politics.”
Watch the announcement above.
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