Robert Gamer: Author & Activist

John Tyler holds a unique distinction among American presidents: Not only did he lead the Union, but he also seceded from it. By joining the Confederacy, Tyler became a symbol for those seeking to break away from the Union, lending their cause a semblance of legitimacy. Virginians even elected him to the Confederate Congress.

Tyler’s name comes to mind when considering two notable party defections today: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Both were originally members of the Democratic Party. They have since switched allegiances to support Donald Trump, a candidate from the opposite side of the political spectrum. They have, in short, done a John Tyler. What accounts for this changeover?

Kennedy comes from one of the most storied names in American history, as the son of U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Ted Kennedy. One might think that such a progressive legacy is in Kennedy’s DNA. However, in 2003, he broke with the Democratic Party and joined the Independent Party. As if that wasn’t enough, the positions he began advocating shocked many within the Democratic Party. He founded Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group that has become a leading source of COVID-19 misinformation. Kennedy has repeatedly promoted the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. He authored The Real Anthony Fauci, a book attacking the former chief medical advisor to the president. Publicly, he has made false health claims, targeting figures like Bill Gates and Joe Biden.

Although Kennedy has served as an environmental lawyer, some stories cast doubt on the authenticity of his convictions. His daughter recounts an incident where Kennedy used a chainsaw to cut the head off a dead whale on a beach in Hyannis Port, violating federal law. In another story, he admitted to dumping a bear cub’s carcass in Central Park. These actions contradict the environmental values he claims to uphold.

Gabbard also has notable credentials. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, she became the representative for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, making her the first Samoan American voting member of Congress. Her voting record aligned closely with the Democratic platform, supporting environmental protection, financial regulation, gun control, labor rights, and more. She was even a member of the Democratic National Committee and sought the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election.

Yet, in October 2022, Gabbard announced her departure from the Democratic Party, condemning it as an “elitist cabal of warmongers” driven by “cowardly wokeness.” She accused Democrats of “stoking anti-white racism” and claimed they “demonize the police and protect criminals.” These statements marked a sharp departure from her positions, revealing a radical transformation akin to Kennedy’s.

The narrative reaches a critical point with the news that Gabbard and Kennedy have joined Trump’s transition team. For many, this feels comparable to joining those who once sought to secede from the Union. Trump’s actions, including being found guilty of falsifying business records and convicted of sexual harassment and defamation, make their alignment with him puzzling, especially given Gabbard’s criticisms of Democrats supposedly “protecting criminals.”

Moreover, Trump’s appointment of three Supreme Court justices, skewing the court toward an extreme conservative majority, has shielded him from certain legal repercussions. For example, a judge’s ruling has delayed proceedings related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Similarly, Trump’s involvement in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection has also been legally deflected.

So, what explains Gabbard and Kennedy’s abrupt shift in joining Trump’s team? They are certainly perceptive enough to understand Trump’s character and the implications of his actions. By switching their allegiances, they seem to be positioning themselves for roles in a potential Trump administration, aligning with his vision of governance. Trump’s assertion that this election may be the last in which Americans have the chance to vote for president, coupled with his promise of “retribution,” suggests a move toward autocracy, where democratic norms and freedoms could be severely undermined.

Another explanation for their change could be that Gabbard and Kennedy have genuinely lost touch with reality. Just as Tyler believed in the righteousness of slavery and states’ rights, and historical figures like Hitler believed in the justness of his monstrous actions, Gabbard and Kennedy may have convinced themselves of the validity of their new political stances.

The hope is that the American public will recognize this dangerous shift and not “do a John Tyler” themselves. The future of democracy in the United States hinges on making the right choices in the face of such challenges.