“Pitiful”…  “Flamed out even faster than it started”… “Made complete asses of themselves” … “Cringe-inducing, partly hilarious, and ultimately failed” … “Tactical ineptitude and strategic confusion on display”… “Face-plant”… “Fumbled the bag”… “Somewhat predictable flop”… 

John Heilemann on MSNBC: “Kennedy was seen as angling for something different, which was to actually get – really needing the Libertarian nomination because he would immediately get ballot access in 38 states. The Libertarian Party is the third-biggest political party in the country, Kennedy is trying to get on the ballots. Both made complete asses of themselves over the weekend.” 

Puck: The R.F.K. Jr. Big Short: A close look at Donald Trump and R.F.K. Jr.’s cringe-inducing, partly hilarious, and ultimately failed forays into Libertarian Land.

Key Excerpt: “Difficult to imagine as it might be, R.F.K. Jr.’s face-plant in front of America’s third-largest political party was, in its way, more embarrassing—and potentially consequential. 

“Combine that with the tactical ineptitude and strategic confusion on display by Team Kennedy this weekend, and a sensible person might be tempted to wonder if the R.F.K. bubble has reached the point that the Ross Perot bubble did back in the summer of 1992, right before the unhinged, bat-eared billionaire started ranting about conspiracies involving shadowy, unnamed Republican operatives to disrupt his daughter’s wedding. The point at which, in other words, the bubble is about to pop.

“We live in strange, surreal, screw-loose times, heaven knows. So much so that maybe the old rules of presidential politics have been rendered basically inoperative, and the system will prove more tolerant of (or even receptive to) the strange, surreal, screw-loose, conspiracy-addled candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” 

New York Post: RFK Jr.’s bid for Libertarian nod implodes after garnering pitiful 2.07% delegate support

Key Excerpt: “Well, that was fast. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s short-lived attempt to become the Libertarian nominee for president flamed out even faster than it started, as he received support from a paltry 19 delegates, or 2.07%, at the party’s DC convention Sunday, sending him home in the first round.”

Independent: RFK Jr’s somewhat predictable flop at the Libertarian convention

Key Excerpt: “Frank Atwood, a longtime Libertarian Party member who told The Independent he was a supporter of Ross Perot (arguably the most successful independent candidate in modern US history), helmed that booth.

“‘He doesn’t have a f*****g chance’ unless he gets a major boost of big money donations, Atwood said of Kennedy’s electoral prospects.

“‘I have witnessed how hard it is for the Libertarians to get ballot access,’ he continued. ‘I don’t know if the Kennedy effort is well enough organized to establish that.’”

Mediaite: ‘Plenty of Empty Seats’: RFK Jr. Speech at Libertarian Convention Draws Small Crowd

Key Excerpt: “Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s speech at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., on Friday afternoon drew a small crowd. His speech, which was initially scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST, drew a small crowd with dozens of empty seats inside the convention minutes before he was initially set to speak, according to Semafor’s David Weigel.”

The Daily Beast: RFK Jr. Fails to Win Libertarian Party’s Presidential Nomination

Key Excerpt: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lost in the first round of voting for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination on Sunday, just two days after he spoke at the party’s convention. RFK Jr. received the support of only 19 delegates, just 2.07 percent of the vote, according to CNN. […] RFK Jr.’s vice presidential pick Nicole Shanahan was expected to speak at the event on Sunday, but her appearance was called off following her running mate’s defeat.”

The Hill: RFK Jr. eliminated in first round of Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination vote

Key Excerpt: “The delegate who nominated Kennedy from the floor Sunday was met with loud boos from the crowd.”