The descendants of two Democratic presidents on Tuesday chose Vice President Kamala Harris as the natural candidate for the White House to carry on the legacies of John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter.
Jack Schlossberg, Kennedy's grandson and a close relative of potential 2024 election-defeating candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., told thousands of delegates gathered for his party's national convention that his slain grandfather is his “hero.”
“JFK was the youngest person ever elected president and the first Catholic. He sent a man to the moon, fought for civil rights and peacefully overcame the Cuban missile crisis,” said Schlossberg, who is the youngest son of Caroline Kennedy, President Biden’s ambassador to Australia. “Above all, he inspired a new generation to ask what they could do for our country.”
Now, he said, Americans must once again respond to this call to action.
“The torch has been passed to a new generation, to a leader who shares my grandfather’s energy, vision and optimism for our future,” said Schlossberg, 31. “That leader is Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jason Carter, grandson of President Carter, speaks at the United Center in Chicago on August 20, 2024.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Jason Carter, 49, compared his ailing grandfather's humility to Harris's values.
“For my grandfather, it was never about fame, recognition, accolades or awards. His legacy is measured by the lives he has touched and the good he has done,” Carter said. “Kamala Harris carries on my grandfather’s legacy. She knows what is right and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness, that you can show strength and demonstrate decency, and that you can accomplish much more with a smile than with a frown.”
Carter said his grandfather will turn 100 in October and he hopes to vote for Harris.
“Pawpaw is still hanging in there. He has hope, and while his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is stronger than ever,” Carter said.
Carter has previously served in the Georgia Legislature and ran an unsuccessful campaign for Georgia governor 10 years ago.
Schlossberg is believed to be interested in one day running for office, though he has not yet done so. He has notably become involved in the 2024 campaign, using his large social media following to criticize Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his mother’s cousin.
He has called Kennedy, who has won election as an independent in several states, a liar and suggested he used steroids.
When RFK Jr. initially announced his candidacy, Democrats feared that his candidacy could harm their presidential candidate's prospects.
But it now appears to be undermining former President Trump’s support, prompting the independent’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, to muse in an interview Tuesday about whether they should stay in the race and potentially help Harris win or drop out and support Trump. The Republican said he would consider a role for Kennedy in his administration if both drop out of the race.
