NBC analyst Chuck Todd believes that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vocal ailment could aid President Biden in debates.
NBC News analyst Chuck Todd has suggested that President Biden might benefit from having Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on stage during debates due to Kennedy's unique vocal issue. Todd believes that Biden would appear more capable in comparison to Kennedy, who has spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition that affects the vocal muscles.
"If you've ever spent a lot of time watching Robert Kennedy Jr. speak, I think if you were Joe Biden, you are going to want him on the debate stage," Todd said on MSNBC.
Todd's remarks came after Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to two debates that exclude Kennedy for now, as he does not appear on enough state ballots. Questions about Biden's physical health and age have been politically sensitive issues, and Todd suggested that Kennedy's unusual speaking style could provide a helpful contrast for Biden.
"I think there will be a point in the fall that they will actually see that as an asset," Todd said, referring to the Biden campaign.
"I'm in the minority in this," Todd acknowledged.
Kennedy's hoarse and gravelly voice is a result of spasmodic dysphonia, which affects vocal muscle function.
"Let's just face it, he has a vocal issue," NBC host Andrea Mitchell said to Todd during the discussion, understanding Todd's reference. "It's an ailment."
Todd argued that Kennedy's vocal condition may "weirdly help" offset Biden's personal weaknesses as a candidate and predicted that Kennedy could potentially be present at the second debate.
"I don't think a lot of people realize this about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. It will be interesting. I'm not ruling out the possibility that he makes it to the second debate," Todd said.
Biden and Trump agreed on Wednesday to participate in two debates, one on June 27 hosted by CNN and a second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC. Biden's campaign requested that the debates take place in a television studio, with microphones that automatically shut off when a speaker's time expires.
Kennedy's health has been a topic of media attention following the release of a years-old deposition in which he claimed that a parasitic worm had consumed part of his brain before dying in his skull. Kennedy made the statement during a deposition related to his 2012 divorce proceedings, explaining that he had been experiencing "cognitive problems" and feared a brain tumor.
The Biden and Kennedy campaigns did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
