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Mike Rowe Responds After Learning He’s On Shortlist To Be RFK Jr.’s Running Mate

March 15, 2024

The former “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe has broken his silence after it was announced that he’s on the shortlist to be the running mate of the Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Rowe Responds To Kennedy’s Shortlist

The rumored shortlist for Kennedy includes Rowe along with the New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D). Kennedy told ABC News on Tuesday that while he’s chosen his running mate, he is not ready to name the person at this time. He added that he will be revealing his running mate’s identity within the next two weeks.

When contacted for comment, Rowe let his feelings about making Kennedy’s shortlist be known.

“Given the fact that RFK has already made his selection and set the date to make an announcement, it’s probably not appropriate for me to discuss the details of our conversations,” Rowe said. “I can tell you that we met several weeks ago and had several really productive conversations about the future of our country.”

“We talked mostly about the mikeroweWORKS Foundation and our mutual interest in reinvigorating the skilled trades,” he continued. “He was very complimentary of my efforts in that regard, and I was impressed with his commitment to help close America’s skill gap. Vice President or not, I’d be happy to work with him on that agenda.”

Rowe Discusses Meeting With Kennedy

Last week, Rowe told the News Nation host Chris Cuomo that the nation should “keep an eye on RFK Jr.”

“If this country was a restaurant, and millions of people looked at the menu, they’re going: ‘Really? This is it?’” Rowe said. “With great respect to the candidates, half of the country is allergic to the menu. Keep an eye on RFK. … He’s saying some things that nobody else is saying.”

Rowe later opened up to CNN about meeting with Kennedy.

“He’s serious,” Rowe said. “When he talks about the things he’s serious about, he leans in and it’s hard not to listen. He’s serious about the debt, he doesn’t want to see $34 trillion get to $50. He believes if it does, the country can’t service it, and party’s over. He’s serious about ending forever wars. He’s serious about waging war on chronic disease.”

“We don’t agree on everything, that’s for sure, and when that became apparent, he just laughed and said ‘look, I don’t want to surround myself with yes-men and yes-women. I want people who care about the country, I want people who will tell me the truth as they see it, and let the chips fall,'” he continued.

Kennedy Gushes Over Rodgers

Though Kennedy hasn’t named his pick, he’s confirmed that Rodgers and Ventura are on the top of the list. Rodgers has yet to respond publicly, while Ventura’s son told The New York Times that “no one has officially asked Gov. Ventura to be a vice-presidential candidate so the governor does not comment on speculation.”

Kennedy gushed over Rodgers in an interview earlier this week, indicating that me may be his pick.

“And we want somebody young who’s going to look out for that generation. Aaron Rodgers is battle-tested. He’s stood up. He’s been hammered by the press, stood up for things we believe in,” Kennedy said on Wednesday night, according to The Hill. “I like that part of his character. He’s a critical thinker, and I think we need that at the time as you know the rise of [artificial intelligence].”

‘I Think Aaron’s Shown That’

“My father used to say one of the duties of living as a citizen of democracy is to maintain a constant posture of skepticism toward authority,” he recalled. “And I think Aaron’s shown that.”

“He’s also somebody who I think will help me get the country healthy again,” Kennedy concluded. “You know, he’s 40 years old. He’s focused on his own health. He’s very aware of health issues. And you know, that’s one of the things I’m going to — that’s one of the key parts of my agenda is to get the country healthy again.”

Rowe and the rest of the people on Kennedy’s rumored shortlist have one thing in common, and that’s that they have each shown the world that they aren’t afraid to think for themselves when it comes to politics. It will certainly be interesting to see who Kennedy has chosen to run alongside him!

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