Last week, we reported that rumors were swirling that the New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was at the top of the list to be the running mate of the Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Now, however, it appears that Rodgers is no longer in contention for this position.
Rodgers Allegedly Out Of The Running
On Friday, Kennedy took to social media to post a video of himself saying that he has made his vice presidential pick, and that “it’s not any of the people they’ve been talking about.” This would seemingly eliminate Rodgers, who had been rumored for days to be at the top of Kennedy’s shortlist.
Mediaite reported that Kennedy will be naming Nicole Shanahan, a California-based attorney and entrepreneur once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brinn, as his running mate when he makes the official announcement in Oakland on March 26. A source close to the campaign alleged that Rodgers is out of the running.
“They align on numerous issues,” the insider said of Kennedy and Shanahan. “The campaign is also looking for a candidate who can help finance the ballot access initiative.”
“She might be infusing millions of dollars into the campaign to help fund the ballot initiative, which makes her attractive financially; however, she lacks the qualifications to actually do the job,” the source added.
A spokesperson for the Kennedy campaign refused to address Shanahan as a potential pick, telling News Nation, “There has been a lot of speculation in the media. The official announcement will be on March 26 in Oakland. We hope to see you there.”
Related: Jets’ Aaron Rodgers On RFK Jr.’s List For VP
Kennedy Gushed Over Rodgers
Kennedy was gushing over Rodgers as recently as last Wednesday. He heaped praise on the former Green Bay Packers quarterback.
“And we want somebody young who’s going to look out for that generation. Aaron Rodgers is battle-tested. He’s stood up. He’s been hammered by the press, stood up for things we believe in,” Kennedy said last night, according to The Hill. “I like that part of his character. He’s a critical thinker, and I think we need that at the time as you know the rise of [artificial intelligence].”
“My father used to say one of the duties of living as a citizen of democracy is to maintain a constant posture of skepticism toward authority,” he added. “And I think Aaron’s shown that.”
“He’s also somebody who I think will help me get the country healthy again,” Kennedy concluded. “You know, he’s 40 years old. He’s focused on his own health. He’s very aware of health issues. And you know, that’s one of the things I’m going to — that’s one of the key parts of my agenda is to get the country healthy again.”
Related: Aaron Rodgers Calls Media’s Sandy Hook Story Fake News
Rodgers’ Sandy Hook Controversy
Rodgers’ chances to be Kennedy’s running mate may have been negatively impacted by a CNN report. The story was quoting anonymous sources who claimed that back in 2013, the NFL star alleged that the Sandy Hook mass shooting “was actually a government inside job and the media was intentionally ignoring it.” One of these sources claimed that Rodgers had said that “Sandy Hook never happened…All those children never existed. They were all actors.”
Rodgers immediately fired back by shooting this report down.
“As I’m on the record saying in the past, what happened in Sandy Hook was an absolute tragedy. I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place,” Rodgers said in a statement posted to social media.
“Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life,” he continued. “My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community.”
It’s unknown if this report impacted Kennedy’s decision making process when it came to picking his running mate.
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