Robert F. Kennedy's son Chris, long in the private sector, just joined the family business by announcing a run for Illinois governor against the Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner.
He made the announcement in a 2 1/2 minute video that might seem cookie-cut if not for the sprinkle of Kennedy mystique sprinkled in the middle. .
RFK's Son Runs For Governor of Illinois
"I believe we can restore the future of this state. I believe we can restore the American Dream to the people of Illinois in a single generation," Kennedy says over a montage of smiling children.
He then laments "the failing of the government" ahead of a string of negative TV news clips with chyrons that blare "BUDGET CRISIS," "UNPAID BILLS" and "Services Reduction."
Kennedy shifts to his biography, shoring up his ties to the state. "I came here 30 years ago to join in the fight against hunger in the United States." Archival news footage of his anti-hunger work shows a younger Kennedy looking much more like his father than he does today. Then we see a blizzard of print headlines portraying Kennedy as a successful business leader and "Job Creator."
Turning the Kennedy Name Into a Bipartisan Calling Card
He doesn't shy away from mentioning his iconic father, but he puts a bipartisan spin on his ancestry. "I come from two very different families ... the Kennedys were always Democrats and the Skakels were always Republicans. They've embraced the notion that we're all in this together."
It adds up to a solid beginning for Chris Kennedy's first run at being a politician, but being far away from Massachusetts, he won't be able to coast on his last name.
