Actor Billy Baldwin took inspiration from the traditional 1988 United States vice presidential debate between then-Democratic nominee, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, and then-Republican nominee Senator Dan Quayle, to criticize RFK Jr. on Tuesday.
The political scion’s household legacy has change into a recurring theme between Baldwin and his former pal.
“Bobby… I served together with your father. I knew your father. Your father was a pal of mine. Bobby… you’re no Robert Kennedy,” Baldwin, 61, wrote. His fiery phrases come days after he unleashed on the previous impartial 2024 presidential candidate for endorsing Donald Trump. Baldwin included a photograph of Bentsen within the publish.
Baldwin referenced the 1988 debate—which grew to become its personal political lexicon within the years after—the place Bentsen smacked down his opponent after Quayle likened his expertise to John F. Kennedy.
“I’ve much more expertise than many others that sought the workplace of vice chairman of this nation. I’ve as a lot expertise within the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency,” Quayle mentioned on the time, solely to be met with raised eyebrows and a shaking head by Bentsen.
“Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a pal of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy,” Bentsen mentioned in response.
Baldwin and Kennedy had been buddies for many years earlier than Baldwin started to publicly denounce Kennedy. The timeline of their relationship breakdown is unclear, although Baldwin, the youthful brother of actor Alec, known as out Kennedy last April. He predicted the marketing campaign can be “over in weeks” whereas criticizing Kennedy for his alleged adultery throughout his marriage to second spouse, Mary Richardson, a pal of Baldwin’s. Richardson died by suicide in 2012 within the midst of the couple’s divorce.
On Sunday, Baldwin took to X once more with extra context.
“We had been buddies,” Baldwin wrote. “I liked his politics. His speeches impressed me. We had been neighbors. Our youngsters had been buddies. We carpooled the youngsters to highschool for a couple of years.”
However, the actor added, he had now “fully” disavowed and dissociated himself from Kennedy.
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