A surprise campaign ad from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s super PAC, American Values 2024, aired during the Super Bowl. It was a 30-second ad that cost $7M. It was money well spent.

The ad set the Democrats on fire, and not in a good way. It used a vintage look and campaign slogans, along with video clips and a jingle. The incorporation of his uncle John F. Kennedy's legacy was brilliant. It's very 1960s.

Our momentum is growing. It’s time for an Independent President to heal the divide in our country. 🇺🇸#Kennedy24 pic.twitter.com/6rwXW3AwAp

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 12, 2024

After I noted that the ad was a cool one, I began to notice the outrage building from the left.

Delicious. That is how I described the meltdown that Democrats had over Kennedy's campaign ad.

The Biden Democrats' outrage over RFK, Jr.'s Super Bowl ad is just delicious. Pass the popcorn.

— Karen Townsend (@penguinponders) February 12, 2024

The ad is pinned to the top of Kennedy's X account. He apologized to his outraged family members, though, which I was disappointed to see. But, it's his family. 

I'm so sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain. The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff. I love you all. God…

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 12, 2024

Some of his siblings and other family members have treated him very badly simply because they disagree with some of his political stances, especially his opinion on the COVID-19 vaccine. They are Biden supporters and that's their right. However, airing their hard feelings against their brother is unseemly. 

But some members of Kennedy's family complained about his use of family images. Kennedy's cousin, Bobby Shriver, the son of Kennedy's aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver, wrote on X, "My cousin's Super Bowl ad used our uncle's faces- and my Mother's. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA. She strongly supported my health care work at @ONECampaign & @RED which he opposes."

And Bobby Shriver's brother, Mark Shriver, also commented, saying, "I agree with my brother @bobbyshriver simple as that."  

Kennedy's press secretary stated to CBS News, "We are pleasantly surprised and grateful to the American Values PAC for running an ad during the Super Bowl where more than 100 million Americans got to see that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is running as an independent candidate for President of the United States."  

Tony Lyons, the super PAC co-founder, confirmed that the ad cost $7M.

"The panicked DC power brokers are working overtime to keep Kennedy off the ballot because they know he can and will end their culture of greed and corruption. They offer us soaring inflation, forever wars, and chronic disease," Lyons said in a statement sent to CBS News.

Kennedy's campaign is not doing well with Baby Boomers and this ad may appeal to them. He is doing well with younger voters and with people looking for an alternative to Joe Biden. Swamp Democrats hate him.

Here is the ugly reaction from former U.S. Senator Doug Jones.

How pathetic. A super donor who supports Trump donates to a Super Pac that runs a commercial during the #SuperBowl to remind voters of the man RFK, Jr will never, ever be. https://t.co/G3dMEwVd1j

— Doug Jones (@DougJones) February 12, 2024

My favorite is a meltdown from Stephanie Cutter, former Deputy Campaign Manager for Obama 2012 and longtime Swamp gal.

It’s time for everyone to take this seriously - esp media. RFK jr Superpac runs an ad which costs $7m (?), funded by big Trump supporters, while colluding with the RFK campaign. The only thing fueling him is 1) the kennedy name, despite no one in his family supporting him and…. https://t.co/dtYPehaAJi

— Stephanie Cutter (@stefcutter) February 12, 2024

Grousing about Trump supporters meddling in the presidential race is rich, right?  Democrats always accuse others of what they are doing. 

The ad raised a lot of interest in Kennedy, so, mission accomplished.

Web searches for “RFK” skyrocketed after the ad aired, according to Google Trends, with terms related to the candidate getting as much as 100 times as many searches as average.

The DNC has gone to extraordinary lengths to rig the primary for their guy, Joe Biden, and that is why Kennedy left the Democrat primary to run as an independent candidate. Imagine that. In Biden's America, a Kennedy has to run as an independent. 

On Friday, the Democratic National Committee filed a Federal Election Commission filing against Kennedy's campaign and his super PAC, claiming the two are colluding to get Kennedy on the ballot. 

"It's fitting that the first national ad promoting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy was bought and paid for by Donald Trump's largest donor this cycle. RFK Jr. is nothing more than a Trump stalking horse in this race," DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd said in a statement following the ad.

Kennedy pushed back on the DNC's complaint.

“After the day they had yesterday, it’s understandable they’d want to put the focus on someone else,” Kennedy wrote Friday in the post. “The DNC is in no position to assert morality over anyone — they refused to have a primary and have worked against the will of the people in the past few elections. It’s sad to see the party my family built crash and burn.”

So far, Kennedy is only on the Utah ballot. If he can get on enough ballots, he may be a spoiler. He often polls at about 20%. I think he will take more votes from Biden than Trump but that remains to be seen. He may take votes from Trump by voters who disagreed with Trump's handling of the pandemic.

Nate Silver pointed out that the Democrat elites are choosing their nominee, not the Democrat voters. 

You don't demonstrate your seriousness that Trump is an existential threat to democracy by going through the motions to renominate an 81-year-old with a 38% approval rating who 75% of voters think is too old without giving anyone a choice because that's just how things are done.

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 11, 2024

Ouch. 

Pass the popcorn.