Kennedy Is One Poll Away From Qualifying for the CNN Debate

By Adam Garrie and Leah Watson, The Kennedy Beacon

Robert F. Kennedy’s confidence that he will qualify for the June CNN debate is not misplaced. On May 23, Kennedy’s press secretary, Stefanie Spear, announced on X (formally Twitter) that Kennedy is one poll away from being eligible to participate in CNN’s debate, scheduled for June 27. 

The latest poll, from Marquette Law School, shows Kennedy taking 17% of the vote in a five-candidate race. CNN requires a candidate to receive at least 15% in four separate national polls. Kennedy has now done so in three.

Acceptable national polls are from: CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Marquette University Law School, Monmouth University, NBC News, the New York Times/Siena College, NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College, Quinnipiac University, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. 

Kennedy’s Qualifications 

By CNN’s own criteria, Kennedy has received 15% or more in the following approved polls within the approved time frame (March 13 to June 20, a week prior to the debate). 

• CNN poll, 16% (April 18–April 23, 2024)

• Quinnipiac 16% (April 18–April 22, 2024)

• Marquette 17% (May 6–May 15, 2024)

In a recent Monmouth poll, Kennedy received an 18% favorability rating. It is one of CNN’s qualifying polls. But even though Monmouth appears on CNN’s list of reputable polls, CNN did not accept this particular Monmouth poll, according to Stefanie Spear’s announcement on X.

Kennedy has received high polling numbers in other highly respected polls. March polls conducted by Harvard-Harris and Forbes/Harris both showed Kennedy receiving 15%. 

Debate participants are also required to be on enough state ballots to win 270 potential electoral votes prior to June 20. Kennedy is confident he will accomplish this.

However, it’s certain Biden and Trump will not be on enough state ballots to win 270 electoral votes by late June, because the Democrats and Republicans do not nominate their respective candidates until August. Until such a time, Biden and Trump are both presumptive nominees. 

This represents a challenge for CNN as the broadcaster must fairly enforce its own debate criteria. 

As reported in The Kennedy Beacon, a member of the Biden campaign told the press that Biden’s agreement to debate was contingent on Kennedy’s absence. If Kennedy qualifies under CNN’s criteria, CNN’s producers will have to choose whether to honor their reported agreement with the Biden campaign or,instead, to stand by the debate eligibility criteria published when the debate was first announced.