Kennedy mentioned on Wednesday that he is assured of successful a presidential debate even when he have been to eat a pair extra of these “mind worms.”
“I provide to eat 5 extra mind worms and nonetheless beat President Trump and President Biden in a debate,” Kennedy wrote in a publish on X.
“I really feel assured of the outcome even with a six-worm handicap,” he mentioned in a subsequent publish.
Kennedy’s remarks got here after The New York Occasions wrote about his well being points in a report printed on the identical day. Kennedy claimed that medical doctors discovered a lifeless worm in his mind throughout his divorce deposition in 2012, per The Occasions.
Docs, Kennedy mentioned, advised him that the darkish spot that appeared on his mind scan was “brought on by a worm that bought into my mind and ate a portion of it after which died.”
Kennedy’s marketing campaign press secretary, Stefanie Spear, earlier confirmed with BI that he was certainly contaminated with a parasite 10 years in the past however has since recovered.
“Mr. Kennedy traveled extensively in Africa, South America, and Asia in his work as an environmental advocate, and in a kind of areas, contracted a parasite,” she mentioned.
The presidential candidate’s weird problem on Wednesday will be seen as a lighthearted try to solid apart issues about his well being.
In any case, the Kennedy marketing campaign has lengthy been positioning the 70-year-old as being extra alert and match than his rivals — 81-year-old President Joe Biden and 77-year-old former President Donald Trump.
Kennedy even posted a video of himself understanding whereas shirtless in June.
“Questioning Mr. Kennedy’s well being is a hilarious suggestion, given his competitors,” Spear advised BI.
Each Biden and Trump are fundraising aggressively to fund their 2024 conflict chests. However Kennedy, too, has gained the assist of rich and highly effective backers like billionaire hedge fund supervisor Invoice Ackman and Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey. He is additionally operating for the White Home with Nicole Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin.
Kennedy’s rising profile seems to have ruffled Trump’s feathers, who advised reporters final week that he won’t be debating the lengthy shot presidential hopeful.
“He isn’t a severe candidate,” Trump mentioned of Kennedy on Could 2. “They are saying he hurts Biden. I do not know who he hurts; he would possibly harm me. I do not know. He has very low numbers, definitely not numbers that he can debate with. He is bought to get his numbers loads greater earlier than he is credible.”
Representatives for Kennedy did not instantly reply to a request for remark from BI despatched outdoors common enterprise hours.
