I enjoyed this four years ago so I am back at it.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr
Due to the assassinations he is nervous and spends a third of his campaign funds on private security. They wanded us all and also looked in my bag. They didn't have much left for refreshments and only gave out napkins not plates since you can't put much on a napkin without it breaking. While we waited we heard from his campaign manager Dennis Kucinich, a nice guy, and very short, something I didn't notice when he was on TV. They played jazz as if appealing to the donor class.
Due to a medical issue RFK's voice is raspy but you soon forget that because he speaks so compellingly of restoring the age of Camelot that grew the middle class and made America loved not feared. He took quite a few questions and answered them all in detail demonstrating great mastery of both domestic and foreign policy. Twice as many people showed up as expected (a couple hundred). A group photo was taken and he took selfies with anyone who wanted but I did not stay for that.
I was very enthused and then crushed when I found out he is not even trying to get onto the Massachusetts ballot. But I intend to vote and being an independent can pick either party, so on to:
Ron DeSantis
I was prepared to like DeSantis because of the way he handled covid, but things did not go well. We weren't wanded or anything, but there were a couple security guys there, not suited and polite like RFK's but thuggish, wearing short sleeves to show off their heavily tattooed and likely steroid enhanced arms, abrasive in manner, and refusing to let anyone use the bathrooms.
The wait music was odd. First was Michael Jackson the child molester, next gay Elton John, then Sweet Caroline which should have been at the RFK event since it's about a Kennedy. It didn't match DeSantis's anti-woke messaging, later reinforced when he pointedly asked a questioner if he was from the area because he got a question on abortion which he skirted. He seemed afraid he was being set up. There were lots of media present and the campaign staff were hostile to them and seem to have a siege mentality.
Although the event was in a city it had maybe 100 attendees, whereas RFK's in a small town had twice as many. I have seen DeSantis advertising for canvassers and his staff didn't appear to be local. Usually at a bigger event you might have several area politicians talk up the crowd before the candidate appears, but they only had one woman and they had to bring her in from another county. His ground game is very weak, and coming from a big state like Florida he is not good at retail politics. There are certain traditions, like you say, "We have time for three more questions." Instead he abruptly said, "Thank you folks" and left the stage after what nobody knew would be the last question. He did not stay for photos and at no point did he shake anyone's hand. Even if Trump got a heart attack and died I do not think he could win.
On substance I generally agreed with him, in part because he spoke in generalities about things like not running up the deficit. If called on I would have asked about his flip flop on Ukraine, but he made sure to mention his military credentials several times and I don't think he will risk the ire of the military industrial complex again. In the most Libertarian state in the country he offered that wing of his party little. He does not come across as a uniter but instead as a rather harsh person, one who would definitely rule the country rather than be a pawn of his handlers (like geriatric Biden) or those who flatter him (like Trump). But I think he goes overboard in the other direction and I see why people say he's not likeable.
Would I vote for him in the primary to stop Trump? I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils and I don't think he can win anyways, so probably not. I need to hear more candidates.