Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s Announcement Speech, April 19, Boston, MA

On April 19, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his bid to run for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States to an overflow, standing-room-only crowd at the Boston Park Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts.

In his speech, Kennedy emphasized priorities of clean government, civil liberties, peace, and economic revitalization. Above all, he invoked the theme of unity.

"During this campaign and during my administration my objective will be to make as many Americans as possible forget that they are Republicans or Democrats and remember that they are Americans," Kennedy said. "We need to focus on the values we share instead of the issues that divide us."

Strongly committed to civil liberties, Kennedy emphasized the importance of honest government and freedom of speech.

"The government/media strategy of censoring dissonant voices is not only antithetical to our most fundamental values, it is counterproductive in that it fuels the flames of polarization, alienation, and anger,” Kennedy said.

On a related note, he observed that "the blizzard of misinformation that is now inundating our democracy will end only when the government and the media start telling the truth to Americans."

Kennedy was born on January 17, 1954, in Washington, DC, and is the third of 11 children of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy. He is the nephew of America’s 35th President, John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy has carried on his family’s legacy of public service by devoting himself to environmental causes and children’s welfare. He struck those themes in his speech, stating, "Good environmental policy is always identical to good economic policy if we measure our economy based on how it produces jobs over the long term and how it preserves the value of the assets of our community."

His reputation as a resolute defender of the environment and children’s health stems from hundreds of successful legal actions. TIME Magazine named Kennedy its “Hero for the Planet” for his leadership in the fight to restore the Hudson River.

Kennedy is an award-winning writer and New York Times’ bestselling author.

Learn more at Kennedy24.com.