Robert F Kennedy Jr's struggle to meet June 27 presidential debate participation criteria stirs Internet

WASHINGTON, DC: Robert F Kennedy Jr is facing a significant hurdle in his bid to stand on the debate stage alongside President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

The independent candidate, who is determined to be part of the debate on June 27 in Atlanta, is running out of time to meet the polling and delegate benchmarks set by CNN.

Robert F Kennedy Jr runs out of time for debate participation

With a midnight deadline on Thursday, June 20, Kennedy Jr has not yet achieved the necessary 15 percent support in four polls and viability on enough state ballots to earn 270 delegates.

In a recent memo by CNN while giving an outline of logistics around the opening statements and commercial breaks for the debate with moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, the network wrote, “Though not impossible in Kennedy’s case, it is less likely that candidates other than Biden and Trump will meet those requirements."

CNN counts out RFK Jr's last-minute appearance at the debate

Kennedy Jr alleged that the debate rules have been manipulated against him by candidates and journalists.

Despite his claims, CNN's criteria remain unchanged, and a last-minute appearance from Kennedy Jr appears increasingly unlikely.

His bumpy path to ballot access is one major factor that prevents him from meeting the debate eligibility criteria, according to The Hill.

Unlike the candidates from the two major parties, Kennedy Jr, the 70-year-old environmental lawyer, as an independent candidate, has faced a more complex, state-centric ballot access.

This issue, which has not been a major focus in recent election cycles as the candidates registered with two major parties were not required to petition for ballot access, is now a major obstacle in Kennedy Jr's campaign.

Failing to qualify for the debate would be a major setback for Kennedy Jr's campaign and his inability to meet the eligibility criteria could further diminish his chances of staying competitive with other candidates in upcoming November elections.

Internet divided as RFK Jr is less likely to appear for the CNN debate

Reacting to the possibility of Kennedy Jr not being able to appear for the CNN debate, one user on X (formerly Twitter) penned, "We are in need of election reform laws in this country desperately."

"Trump wont make it either," a netizen opined while another user wrote, "Not shocking. It seems we're stuck in a perpetual cycle of political legacies overshadowing fresh voices. Maybe it's time we prioritize merit over name recognition in these debates."

"He’s crazy and dangerous for the country. But I imagine if he did and with the other, the debate would be strangely entertaining," a user tweeted.

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