Kennedy started his speech by decrying his omission from two recently scheduled presidential debates, noting that independent voters are by far the largest bloc of the American electorate. Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to the debates — one in June and the second in September.
“Don’t you think there should be an independent on the stage?” Kennedy said to loud applause. “I think it’s important that the American people get to see their presidential candidates debate.”
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, announced last fall that he would run as an independent candidate for president, eschewing his and his family’s deep Democratic Party roots.