Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized the removal of Confederate statues in a recent interview, arguing that the people they honor may have had “other qualities.”
Speaking Friday at “TimcastIRLOn the podcast, Kennedy described a “visceral reaction to this destructive story.”
“I don’t like it,” he told conservative podcaster Tim Pool. “I think we should celebrate who we are. And, you know, we should celebrate everyone’s good qualities.”
Kennedy also named “heroes in the Confederacy who did not own slaves,” but later praised Robert E. Lee, a slave owner, suggesting that Lee, the top Confederate general, demonstrated “extraordinary qualities of leadership” that deserved recognition.
“We need to be sophisticated enough to live with our ancestors who didn’t agree with us on everything and who did things that today are considered immoral or wrong, because they, you know, maybe had other qualities,” Kennedy said.
A Kennedy campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
While in office, former President Donald Trump opposed the removal of Confederate statues and monuments, calling their removal “foolish.” In 2020, Trump also opposed an effort to rename Army bases that honored Confederate generals.
President Joe Biden, meanwhile, supported the name change effort, saying in a statement at the time that “the names affixed to our military installations should honor the diverse heritage of leadership and sacrifice in our country’s history.”
Kennedy’s candidacy is seen as more of a threat to Trump’s campaign than Biden’s re-election bid, according to an NBC News poll conducted last month.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
