...
By Andrew Stanton
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Joe Rogan on Thursday offered praise for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
"I am a fan. He's the only one to make sense to me. He's the only one that doesn't attack people. He attacks actions and ideas, but he's much more reasonable and intelligent," Rogan said during an episode of his podcast.
Rogan, on Friday, followed up the comments by stating in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, that this was not an "endorsement."
Read More
Joe Rogan’s RFK Jr. Praise Welcomed by Kamala Harris Supporters4 min read
Obama, Biden and Trump Judges Deal Legal Blow to Robert Mueller3 min read
Former Trump Adviser Warns of New Strategy to Challenge Election Results4 min read
"For the record, this isn't an endorsement. This is me saying that I like RFKjr as a person, and I really appreciate the way he discusses things with civility and intelligence," Rogan wrote. "I think we could use more of that in this world."
The Context
Kennedy is running as an independent challenger to former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. He has sought to appeal to centrist voters who may be disillusioned by the policies of the Democratic and Republican parties.
Polls show that he faces an uphill battle to victory in November, as he is not even on the ballot in some states. But he could still play a pivotal role in the election if he siphons off enough voters from either candidate to give the opponent an advantage in the key swing states. Some polls suggest Kennedy may be more of a threat to Trump than to Harris.
Newsweek reached out to Kennedy's campaign for comment via email.
...
What We Know
Rogan said that he likes Kennedy because candidates on both the right and left "gaslight" and "manipulate" voters.
"The only one who's not doing that is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," he said.
Rogan has frequently made headlines over his views on politics and has a history of supporting both Democratic and Republican candidates.
He previously said he did not vote for either Trump or President Joe Biden in the 2020 race. He said in February 2022 that he couldn't vote for Biden because he "can't talk right anymore."
Rogan endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign during the 2020 Democratic primary. In 2022, he floated Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as someone he believed would make a "good candidate." DeSantis challenged Trump in the GOP primary races but ultimately fell short and dropped out.
Rogan voiced support for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson in the 2016 presidential race.
Most recent polls show Kennedy continuing to poll in the single digits. A Marist College poll, which surveyed 1,513 registered voters from August 1 to August 4, found him winning 5 percent of the vote. The poll found Harris with a 3-point lead over Trump (48 percent to 45 percent).
Rogan, on Friday, added praise for Trump in his post saying this was not an endorsement of Kennedy, before saying that people should not get their political information from him.
"I also think Trump raising his fist and saying "fight!" after getting shot is one of the most American f***ing things of all time," Rogan wrote. "I'm not the guy to get political information from. If you want that from a comic, go to@ComicDaveSmith. He actually knows what he's talking about."
Views
Rogan's compliments of Kennedy quickly drew responses on X (formerly Twitter).
"People have varied opinions about Joe Rogan, which is 100% rational, but RFK getting shoutouts on the biggest show in the world is a big deal for him and his campaign," said a post on the X account @EndTribalism.
The post continued, "People underestimate how much support from influencers, such as Rogan, can do on Election Day. Even though he is often labeled as right wing, he is actually quite liberal with his policies, and his audience ranges from the far right to the far left."
The account Republicans Against Trump said: "Joe Rogan announced he supports RFK Jr over Trump: "he is the only one that makes sense to me." At this point, RFK pulls most of his votes from Trump."
What's Next
The Kennedy campaign has recently been involved in a case that could determine whether he makes the ballot in New York state.
The case centers on his residency after voters accused him of using a false address on petitions to get himself on the ballot. If a judge rules against Kennedy, he could be removed from the state's ballot.
The New York Times reported that if he loses the New York suit, legal challenges in other states may follow.
Updates 8/8/24, 3:09 and 3:32 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information and background.
Updated 8/9/2024 at 4:55 p.m. ET: The story and headline have been updated with Rogan's most recent comments.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines