Kennedy condemns the removal of Confederate monuments

By JONATHAN J. COOPER
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has condemned the removal of Confederate statues. Kennedy said Friday that he had a “visceral reaction against” the destruction of monuments honoring southern leaders from the Civil War. Kennedy commented in response to a question about removing monuments during an interview for the Timcast IRL podcast, which is hosted by conservative podcaster Tim Pool. Kennedy said Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee had “extraordinary qualities of leadership” that deserve to be celebrated. He said tearing down monuments amounts to destroying history, and “we should celebrate the good qualities of everybody.”