Joe Kennedy explains his reasons for turning down the chance to become the next Kennedy president 

‘I don’t want to take advantage of my family’s reputation’: Joe Kennedy explains that he isn’t running for president because he wants to give the ‘public a chance to actually know who I am’

  • Joe Kennedy said he doesn’t want to run for president on back of family name 
  • Kennedy said he wants to give the ‘public a chance to actually know who I am’ 
  • The 38-year-old had been approached by several Democratic power players about running for president, but ultimately turned down the idea last fall  

Joe Kennedy has revealed his reasons for turning down the opportunity to become the next president. 

In the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, when many Democrats were still reeling, Kennedy urged party leaders to learn from the loss by listening harder to the economic worries of Democratic voters who bolted the party.

‘We have to do a better job addressing the economic needs of working class and middle class voters,’ Kennedy said at the time.

The 38-year-old, who is the last Kennedy in politics, has been approached by several power players in the party who urged him to run for president. 

Though Kennedy, the grandson of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy is seen as a rising star in the party, he said he has no plans to run for president in 2020 despite considering it. 

Joe Kennedy has revealed his reasons for turning down the opportunity to become the next president, saying that he doesn’t want to take advantage of his family’s reputation

‘I don’t want to take advantage of the reputation that other family members of mine have earned without giving the public a chance to actually know who I am,’ Kennedy told The Atlantic in a recent interview.  

‘Yes, I think there’s a lot of similarities between the values I share and those of my family members. But there’s differences, too.’

Last year, US Rep Kennedy urged fellow Democrats to adopt a new economic ideology — what he called ‘moral capitalism’.

Kennedy said the push is a rebuke to what he describes as the ‘trickle-down, feed-the-top, if-you’re-struggling-try-harder narrative’ of conservatives.

It’s a narrative he says Trump has sharpened to divide Americans, many of whom share similar economic worries despite holding different political views.

‘His is a country of bitter rivalry between fellow citizens, forced to endlessly spar over the scraps of our system,’ Kennedy said last November.

Though Kennedy, the grandson of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy is seen as a rising star in the party, he said he has no plans to run for president in 2020 despite considering it

Though Kennedy, the grandson of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy is seen as a rising star in the party, he said he has no plans to run for president in 2020 despite considering it 

The 38-year-old (right with his fraternal twin brother, Matthew, left), who is the last Kennedy in politics, has been approached by several power players in the party who urged him to run for president

The 38-year-old (right with his fraternal twin brother, Matthew, left), who is the last Kennedy in politics, has been approached by several power players in the party who urged him to run for president

Despite Kennedy not making a presidential bid, he has stumped for several Democratic candidates nationally, including Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke

Despite Kennedy not making a presidential bid, he has stumped for several Democratic candidates nationally, including Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke

‘My wages can’t grow unless your food stamps go. Your medical bills can’t fall unless my insurance gets taken way. So Americans spend their days fighting each other over economic crumbs – while our system quietly hand delivers the entire pie to those at the top,’ he added.

Kennedy, without naming names, also chided the extremes on the liberal end of the political spectrum, which he said have failed to effectively counter Trump’s zero-sum game world view.

‘For years, the left has failed to offer a competing — compelling — economic vision,’ Kennedy said.

‘We’ll have to do more than tax the rich to meet our needs in infrastructure, childcare, health care, college and climate change.’

Despite Kennedy not making a presidential bid, he has stumped for several Democratic candidates nationally, including Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke.

And even though Kennedy, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, isn’t running for the presidency in 2020, that doesn’t mean he won’t consider a run in the future. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk