This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. Thanks for joining us.

When I spoke with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the radio hour back in July,

it was early in his candidacy. He was really still a fringe candidate. He had the obvious name recognition,

a reputation as a vaccine denier, but not much else. But now as he makes his way onto one

state ballot after another, the question seems to be not whether Kennedy could end up being a spoiler in the election, but which side he's more likely to spoil?

The New Yorkers Washington correspondence gathered recently to talk about

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his potential impact on the election and they got

together on the podcast, The Political Scene. I wanted to share the episode with you so

here's Jane Mayer, Evan Osnos, and starting us off, Susan Glasser.

We're talking today about one of the stranger subplots to 2024, the unlikely rise of a

long shot third-party candidate, a conspiracy theorist with a famous last name.

Yeah, I was fed up too. conspiracy theorist with a famous last name.

Yeah, I was fed up too, and that's why I'm running for President of the United States as an independent.

I'm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and I approve this message.

Now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has actually managed to get on the ballot in several

states, including Michigan, the battleground that might decide the entire thing, we decided

that it was time to take a look head on at him and his campaign.

Is it really possible that an anti vaccine activist most famous in recent years for

spreading conspiracy theories about COVID-19 could prove to be the spoiler of

2024.

And if Kennedy does turn out to be the spoiler, just whose chances will he actually be

spoiling more?

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