Aaron Rodgers endorses face of anti-vaccine movement for Presidential election in 2024
The one thing Aaron Rodgers seems to hate more than anything is getting a jab for COVID-19. While that's indeed a personal choice, he has invited a great deal of criticism for the way he has handled the issue.
He famously claimed that he was immunized before being caught in the apparent misdirection when he later contracted COVID-19. Since then, he has doubled down on his stance, including in public statements and appearances, and it now seems that he has tripled down. Aaron Rodgers is now endorsing Robert Kennedy Jr. for president.
Robert Kennedy is the face of the anti-vaccine movement in the United States. While he has come to prominence due to his disavowal of the COVID-19 jab, he has previously taken a dim view of most vaccines. He's running for the President of the United States in the 2024 election as a Democratic Party candidate, challenging incumbent Joe Biden, if he runs again.
Robert Kennedy's endorsement shows vaccine issue top concern for Aaron Rodgers
Notable in this entire situation is Aaron Rodgers' dim view of Joe Biden. It was clear to many that the two had a beef that verged on the personal.
It started with President Biden making some remarks about the quarterback's vaccination status and the player firing back, casting apparent doubt on the legitimacy of Biden's office.
Biden jokes with a Packers fan about Aaron Rodgers while touring tornado damage in Kentucky: “Tell that quarterback he’s gotta get the vaccine.” https://t.co/VSWqHjkRbG
Hence, it was always immensely likely that Aaron Rodgers would not support Joe Biden's re-election campaign if it came to pass. However, that he has now openly endorsed Robert Kennedy shows just how deep his antipathy runs on the vaccine issue.
The quarterback has now come out and publicly called Robert Kennedy the next president.
While a Kennedy running for the Democratic Party nomination is not surprising, Rodgers' past views put him firmly in the anti-vaccine camp, which is not where the party's core lies.
NFL players rarely declare their political beliefs openly given the rigid polarization that afflicts the country, which can prove divisive among the fanbase, too. It's an extremely surprising move and shows how deeply Rodgers cares about the topic to endorse a candidate so publicly, who's not among the favorites to win.
The NFL legend has now firmly stuck his flag to the mast on what he considers to be the biggest issue in front of him. Whether the general public follows his lead on this anti-vaccine sentiment is an open question, though.