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Tim Rich is the founder and former owner of Bar Harbor’s The Independent Cafe and was a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in 2018.
After a long time away from politics I was drawn back last year by the presidential campaign of Robert Kennedy Jr. The Kennedy I met several times was not the caricature that some made him out to be.
Where some saw an anti-vax conspiracy theorist who had a brain worm and might have once eaten a dog, I see someone very different. I see a person who has been through the fires of hell and come out unimpeachably honest. I see a person who has spent his life working to eliminate poisonous chemicals from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the earth that we live on. I see someone who has thought deeply about the meaning of U.S. foreign policy and our role in the world.
He hasn’t been perfect, but he has spent years fighting for democracy and championing the rights of the individual. I see someone as concerned about the national security state as I am and I see someone who has visionary ideas about a whole new way to approach drug and alcohol recovery.
That’s why I am a supporter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s quest to bring accountability to government and why I collected the most individual signatures to get Kennedy on the ballot during the New Hampshire primary.
Though I believe the media has been complacent in creating a false narrative of who Kennedy truly is, it has also become impossible for me to ignore the multiple unforced errors of his campaign. First there were his comments about Ashkenazi Jews and COVID. Then his stance on abortion, which changed three times over a couple of days. Though I believe Kennedy is an honest person, I really wish he had more quickly disclosed his brain worm and that he played a role in hiding a dead bear in Central Park. Seriously, you almost can’t make this stuff up.
That is why, despite the immense personal respect I have for Kennedy, today I am no longer supporting him in his campaign for the presidency. I am instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. Here is why:
Harris has emerged as an inspired progressive figure who will bring the various elements of the Democratic Party together and transform politics in America. She supports congressional legislation protecting a woman’s right to choose. She supports universal health care, something that our country desperately needs. She was a very early backer of the Green New Deal and is for clean energy. She will work as a strong advocate for every working person in our country. She has made it clear that her policy on the Israeli genocide will not parrot President Joe Biden’s. She has clearly and loudly called out the abusive and dehumanizing behavior of Donald Trump and is fired by the same righteous indignation that will drive so many of us to the polls in November.
Her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate is an excellent choice that shows her commitment to an inclusive agenda and her focus on improving the lives of all Americans.
Maybe most importantly, Harris will inspire a generation of children and young leaders into public service around the world. It is impossible to overstate the power that her personal example of principled leadership will show to children of every background, in every country. Harris will work to eliminate war and help peacefully spread democracy around the world.
So far Kamala Harris has brought her a game to the presidential campaign of 2024. Tim Walz is doing the same. That’s exactly what they will bring to the White House.
