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Nicole Shanahan selected as Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s running mate Photo/AP
WASHINGTON – Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named Silicon Valley lawyer and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential pick.
The 38-year-old vice presidential candidate is little known outside tech circles, but was an early supporter of Kennedy's presidential bid, and supported him last year when he was still running in the Democratic Party primaries.
Who is Nicole Shanahan? US Vice President Who Was Married to the Founder of Google and Accused of Having an Affair with Elon Musk
1. Claims to be in tune with Kennedy
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Shanahan said in his remarks Tuesday that he initially “didn't think much of” Kennedy but became interested in his campaign after hearing his interview, which he said gave him “hope for our democracy.”
“I see someone who is intelligent, compassionate, and sensible. … I found someone who was speaking out on issues that, even though they are critical to human health and well-being, have always been ignored by our government, and for the first time in a long time, I felt hope for our democracy,” Shanahan said reported by CNN.
The Kennedy campaign hopes Shanahan's youth and fluency in anti-establishment rhetoric in the tech world will help him expand and galvanize his base of support. Although Shanahan has been more circumspect in his statements about vaccines than Kennedy, a major skeptic, he has repeatedly questioned the safety of vaccines. On Tuesday, Shanahan implicitly falsely stated that “pharmaceutical drugs” such as prescriptions and vaccines could be contributing to rising rates of autism in children.
These deep-pocketed investors could also provide a financial boost to support Kennedy's expensive campaign and his efforts to secure the presidential vote in all 50 states. Those efforts have been hampered by requirements in some states that candidates file with their spouses.
2. Had a difficult childhood and came from China
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An Oakland native, Shanahan was raised by a father diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and a mother who immigrated to the US from China. Her family relies on welfare and struggles to make ends meet, the publication reported.
“I had a very difficult childhood with a lot of sadness, fear and instability,” Shanahan told People. “Sometimes there is violence.”
He told supporters in Oakland on Tuesday that his father was “plagued by drug abuse” and “struggling to keep a job.”