(NewsNation) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hopes the fatal shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania will provide the impetus for a change in America’s “hateful” political landscape.
Kennedy joined “NewsNation Prime” just hours after gun shots forced former President Donald Trump to evacuate the stage at a fairground in Butler, Pa. The Associated Press has reported the suspected shooter and at least one rally attendee are dead.
“All of us now have to start looking at each other and saying, ‘We’re all Americans. We’re better than this,’” Kennedy said. “This isn’t the way that we want our country to look to our children, look to people around the world.”
Kennedy called for peace following the shooting, telling NewsNation Saturday’s incident is the “product of so much vitriol and so much anger.”
“Let’s have an election. Let’s go forward as Americans. Let’s love each other, trust each other and let’s rebuild this country,” Kennedy said.
The assassination attempt hits close to home for Kennedy, whose father and uncle were both shot and killed while holding office. It’s a rare occurrence. The last assassination attempt on a president was in 1981 when a gunman shot then-President Ronald Raegan.
“I understand the implications that this has for our country probably as well as anybody does … I’m sure [his family is] terrified for his safety,” Kennedy said.
Just as he witnessed when his own family members were killed, Kennedy believes this moment could be one for greater growth as a nation.
“We need to use this, this terrible, terrible incident, to come together,” Kennedy said. “A lot of times, you know, our job is to bring order out of chaos and to make good out of evil things that happen. And we have that opportunity now.”