Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose tech lawyer and philanthropist Nicole Shanahan to be his running mate, a relatively unknown but wealthy figure that conservatives argued would provide the financial support needed to get on ballots as an independent candidate. As Fox News’s Jesse Watters noted at the time of the announcement, many people weren’t too pleased with his choice of the 38-year-old as they were “expecting someone a little bit more electrifying to kind of jolt that ticket and continue the momentum.” But to run successfully as a third-party candidate requires deep pockets, and Shanahan checks that box.
Prior to Shanahan’s pick, a number of more high-profile names were floated, among them former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who turned down his offer, and even New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Rodgers recalls how he reacted when Kennedy approached him about the VP role.
"My thing is, [Donald Trump] had four years to do it and didn’t drain the swamp,” Rodgers said in the interview, which was released Tuesday. “And whether he just got scared because of what he learned when he was in there — I think it’s very plausible.”
“But that’s why I was interested when Bobby came to me and said, ‘Would you think about being my running mate?’ And I said, ‘Are you serious? I’m a f‑‑‑ing football player.’ But I love this country, and I’d love to be a part of bringing it back to what she used to be.”
Carlson asked if he gave the offer serious consideration.
“Oh yeah, I definitely thought about it,” he replied. “I definitely thought about it, because I love Bobby and I just wanted to hear what he had to say about it.”
