The viral Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ad that aired during this year’s Super Bowl was more than just a frivolous play on the Kennedy name. The ad, which evoked the imagery of John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign, was an effective way of exposing millions of older Americans to a campaign that they may not have realized exists, and to remind them of a time they either remember or have a strong affinity for.
The lack of visibility of the Kennedy campaign to older voters is something the candidate and his team understands well. Younger voters know Kennedy from his online podcast appearances and interviews, but older voters rarely see him on television.
It’s a compelling and, frankly, obvious, explanation for the dramatic difference in support his campaign receives from younger and older voters. It also explains why the line “Old enough to know and young enough to do” from the 60s-style Super Bowl ad hit home for so many viewers. It’s apt, and it’s possibly the most powerful line to come out of the Kennedy campaign yet. It doesn’t matter that it’s a borrowed phrase, of course – Make America Great Again wasn’t new when Trump plastered it on baseball caps in 2016, either. It resonates because it’s true, and because most Americans want someone even somewhat younger than Trump and Biden. That’s true for voters of all ages, but Team Kennedy must now build on the enormous support he has among young voters and start to win over his own generation, too.
Leading among young people isn’t enough to win the presidency, of course, but that support is bolstered by his popularity more generally among independents. According to survey, Kennedy beats both Biden and Trump with 36% support compared to the two big parties’ 31% and 30% respectively. The same survey also showed Kennedy with an even greater level of support among young people, winning 38% support among voters aged 18 to 34, compared to Biden’s 32% and Trump’s 27%.
