RFK Jr once claimed he was shot at with arrows in Peru. His traveling companions tell a different story
IndependentMay 20
RFK Jr. Faces Dog Eating, Sexual Assault Allegations
Above: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Libertarian National Convention on May 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Kevin Dietsch/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Vanity Fair has alleged that independent US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ate a dog in South Korea in 2010. The magazine published a photo of him posing with a barbecued carcass of an animal to support its claim.
The magazine also alleged that Kennedy behaved inappropriately toward and groped his children's 23-year-old babysitter, Eliza Cooney, three times in 1998 when the presidential hopeful was in his 40s.
The Spin
Narrative A
Kennedy has a long history of lying, from denying his poor treatment of women — whether through cheating on his wives or assaulting Cooney — to pushing the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism. Thanks to his powerful family, he's long been allowed to say and do what he pleases with impunity. But now he's being exposed to the world.
Narrative B
The corporate press has launched a smear campaign against Kennedy. Instead of writing about his storied legal career fighting for environmental causes and fighting corrupt pharmaceutical companies, the media have thrown baseless insults at him. He's devoted his life to fighting for ordinary citizens, which is what corporate America hates most.