RFK Jr. attempted to arrange meeting with Harris, sources say

Independent longshot statesmanlike campaigner Robert F. Kennedy Jr. approached the run of Vice President Kamala Harris past week to sermon the anticipation of serving successful her medication if she were to triumph the statesmanlike contention successful November, 2 sources acquainted with the concern told CBS News.

Harris and her advisers person not responded with an connection to conscionable oregon shown involvement successful the proposal, according to 1 of those sources. 

"No 1 has immoderate volition of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe campaigner who has sought retired a occupation with Donald Trump successful speech for an endorsement," the root said.

Stefanie Spear, a spokesperson for the Kennedy campaign, told CBS News successful a connection Wednesday that "Mr. Kennedy is consenting to conscionable with leaders of some parties to sermon the anticipation of a unity government."

The Washington Post first reported the attempted meeting. 

Although Kennedy continues his efforts to get connected the ballot successful each authorities and has scheduled aggregate upcoming run events, the autarkic campaigner told the Post successful an interrogation Wednesday that helium believes it was a "mistake" for the Harris run not to instrumentality the meeting.

"I deliberation it is simply a strategical mistake for them. That's my perspective," Kennedy said. "I deliberation they ought to beryllium looking astatine each opportunity. I deliberation it is going to beryllium a precise adjacent race."

The effort to put a gathering with Harris follows an in-person treatment betwixt Kennedy and erstwhile President Donald Trump successful July astatine the Republican National Convention successful Milwaukee.

Following his July 15 gathering with Trump, Kennedy wrote connected societal media, "Lots of rumors going astir astir my gathering this greeting with President Trump. Our main taxable was nationalist unity, and I anticipation to conscionable with Democratic leaders astir that arsenic well. No, I americium not dropping retired of the race." 

Kennedy is connected the ballot arsenic an autarkic successful a increasing fig of states — Alaska, Delaware, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. He's besides connected the ballot successful California arsenic the nominee of the American Independent Party, and successful Hawaii, connected his We the People ticket. Combined, those states adhd up to conscionable implicit 200 electoral votes. 

But New York is denying Kennedy access to the ballot, based connected his residency claim.

— Nidia Cavazos and Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.

Nidia Cavazos and Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.

In:
• Kamala Harris
• RFK Jr.
• 2024 Elections