Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has apparently violated longstanding tradition by having campaign merchandise that is not made by labor unions, or even in America, Axios reports.
Though he has made a commitment to “protect” labor unions and American industry, the report claims this alleged transgression coupled with his views on vaccinations “could complicate his long-shot primary challenge of President Biden.”
For generations, a rule for Democratic campaigns has been that as many materials as possible — shirts, stickers, placards, lawn signs, even campaign buses — be made by union shops in America as a sign of the party's commitment to labor unions and the working class.
Zoom in: "Kennedy 2024" T-shirts sold by Kennedy's campaign are "Assembled in Honduras," according to the tag on a shirt obtained by Axios.
The shirts come from Bella + Canvas, a U.S.-based clothing manufacturer that is not unionized.
A campaign sticker sold by Kennedy's campaign also did not include a union label. Other materials on the campaign's website do not include union labels.
At least one Kennedy campaign item — the placards at his presidential announcement rally in April — were union made, according to photos reviewed by Axios.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated commitments to American labor unions. But "Kennedy 2024" T-shirts sold by his campaign are "Assembled in Honduras," according to the tag on a shirt obtained by Axios. https://t.co/L1zQV3PS5Y
— Axios (@axios) July 12, 2023
Ray Buckley, chair of the Democratic Party in New Hampshire, told Axios to have campaign merchandise meet these requirements is “politics 101.”
"I would hope that [Kennedy] would put human rights above his political aspirations. That's the nicest way I can say that,” he added.
On social media, Democrats saw it as "one more reason to despise this guy."
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