2026-10-12T09:00:45.318Z / 美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
密歇根州高地镇——
上周五，路易斯安那州联邦参议员约翰·肯尼迪向记者们大放厥词，用一贯风格鲜明的本土俏皮话、过火的侮辱性言论和《塔拉迪加之夜》电影台词轮番轰炸，同他一同竞选的密歇根州联邦参议员共和党候选人、前众议员迈克·罗杰斯心知肚明，自己接下来要说的话根本不会引起多少关注。
“这就好比在才艺秀里跟在 Baton twirler（注： Baton twirler指挥舞指挥棒的表演者，此处指舞台焦点）后面出场，”罗杰斯说，“你懂的，根本赢不了这场比赛。”
肯尼迪已经开启了巡回竞选之旅，在今年中期选举的最后几周里，他先后前往多个州为共和党联邦参议员候选人助选——包括周四在俄亥俄州的活动，以及周五在密歇根州的行程。在密歇根州，他多次宣称罗杰斯“将卓越发挥到极致”。现年74岁的肯尼迪表示自己“有些疲惫”，但仍考虑在选举日之前再次前往阿拉斯加州，并到访德克萨斯州，这两个州都有关键的参议院席位竞选。
这样的行程安排可能是他竞选全国公职的预演。肯尼迪称自己正在考虑参选2028年共和党总统候选人提名。他需要在中期选举结束后尽快做出决定：是角逐白宫，还是寻求参议院第三任期。
他上周五在密歇根州对记者表示，在考虑总统竞选时，自己最大的担忧是“傻瓜因素”。
“如果一堆傻瓜参选，而且我认为自己无法再在参议院发挥作用，那我会考虑参选，”他说，“但目前我正在寻求连任。”
CNN记者问，所谓的“傻瓜”们想要将共和党带往何方，而肯尼迪希望推动共和党走向何处，二者之间有何区别？
“让我来跟你们说说什么是傻瓜——我不会点名道姓，”肯尼迪说，“当傻瓜就跟色情作品一样：很难明确定义，但你一看便知。”
周五晚些时候，肯尼迪在高地镇的一场谷仓派对上发表演讲，引发了阵阵欢呼与笑声。罗杰斯的竞选团队称，这场活动共有约900名参与者，该派对位于奥克兰县——底特律郊区的富裕且受教育程度较高的摇摆选区。
但事后对参会者的采访暴露了这位路易斯安那州参议员可能面临的挑战：如果他试图将在华盛顿以及从未当面见过他的观众面前奏效的那一套，搬到总统竞选的舞台上，选民们会要求他证明自己并非“傻瓜”。
甚至谷仓派对上一些肯尼迪最忠实的支持者也在周五对CNN表示，他们认为仅凭他的俏皮话不足以支撑一场总统竞选。
简·迪拉哈是印第安河地区一名64岁的制造业公司高管，她表示自己非常欣赏肯尼迪，还能列举出这位参议员最喜爱的几句台词。她甚至提到，肯尼迪在周五晚的演讲中省略了一个他惯用的俏皮话。
“他没说‘火腿三明治上的流浪汉’，那可是我个人的最爱，”她说。
但说到2028年的总统竞选，迪拉哈表示，肯尼迪“不会是我的首选”，尽管她认为肯尼迪会成为一位出色的总统。
“说实话，今晚他在台上说的大部分内容，我以前都听过，”她说，“但你总不能在两年时间里一直这样，不然听众总会听腻的。所以他必须提升自己的表现。”
詹姆斯·塞梅拉德是一名70岁的退役海军老兵，现居住在克拉克斯顿，曾在路易斯安那州生活过。他表示肯尼迪“有一种独特的表达方式”，能与选民产生共鸣。
“他舞台表现力很强，个人魅力十足。而且他能把严肃的议题变得有趣，而不是一味地严肃说教，”塞梅拉德说，“他能把一些非常重要的观点用一种引人思考的方式表达出来。他是个风趣的人，但同时也非常聪明。”
如果肯尼迪在2028年参选总统，情况会如何？
“他需要在一定程度上调整自己的形象，”塞梅拉德说，“要更有总统范儿。”
在国会山，肯尼迪在听证会上与证人的犀利交锋经常登上新闻头条。但有时他也会失手。上个月就发生了这样的情况：当时肯尼迪协助密苏里州联邦参议员埃里克·施密特举着一张展示短信的海报，施密特指责前特别检察官杰克·史密斯密谋策划，而其指控的主要依据是施密特混淆了亚特兰大老鹰队和爱荷华大学鹰眼队。
尽管肯尼迪的俏皮话充满乡土气息、有时源自电影、偶尔还带点粗口，但他也是一位头脑清醒的政治操盘手。他曾是民主党人，2007年在该党中期选举遭遇惨败后，时任路易斯安那州财政部长的他转投共和党。他表示，自己的政治团队今年一直在对关键竞选进行民调。
他还向记者承认，共和党今年秋季面临着强劲的政治逆风。
“生活成本是个大问题。而且这不仅仅关乎金钱多少，我能从两党都感受到这种情绪……这是生活成本的问题，但也关乎人心。人们感到愤怒，就算没有愤怒，很多人也深感忧郁——他们只是觉得，华盛顿的那些人根本不听他们的意见，也不在乎他们的想法，”肯尼迪说，“这个体制已经不再为他们服务了。”
周五，肯尼迪为罗杰斯助选时亮出了自己的俏皮话功底，先是一同造访了斯特林高地的一家制造工厂，随后又来到谷仓派对。在第二场活动中，肯尼迪保留了蓝条纹纽扣衬衫、海军西装外套和搭配蓝黄色尼龙表带的石英野战手表，但换下了早前穿的炭灰色长裤和浅棕色便士乐福鞋，换上了水洗牛仔裤和牛仔靴。
在大约九分钟的演讲中，肯尼迪抛出了一系列俏皮话，展现了他为何能成为那些经常关注国会听证会电视片段和新闻节目采访的政治爱好者眼中的热门人物。
肯尼迪对记者表示，如果有人挡在罗杰斯和密歇根州的最佳利益之间，“他会把你生吞活剥，把骨头吐在地上。他会揍得你像偷了圣诞节礼物似的。”
他称民主党被党内的“哈马斯派系”所控制，这一派系包括罗杰斯的民主党对手阿卜杜勒·埃尔赛义德、纽约州联邦众议员亚历山德里亚·奥卡西奥-科特兹、佛蒙特州联邦参议员伯尼·桑德斯以及纽约市市长佐赫兰·曼达尼。
他还表示，在周四晚的辩论中，罗杰斯“把埃尔赛义德骂得狗血淋头”。
随后，他涉足文化议题——有时表述得有些混乱。
“密歇根州的善良民众和美国的善良民众，不该被那些憎恨乔治·华盛顿、亚伯拉罕·林肯、西奥多·罗斯福、苏斯博士和土豆头先生的人统治，”他在谷仓派对的 crowd（注：此处指观众）面前说道。
他还向观众暗示，民主党人会随身携带羽衣甘蓝袋来补充能量。
“这是美国，你可以做任何你想做的事。但对我来说，羽衣甘蓝的味道……我宁愿长胖，”他说。
在对约二十多名参会者的采访中，其中一些人表示不愿透露姓名，当讨论接替唐纳德·特朗普总统的潜在候选人时，人们最常提到的两位是特朗普的副总统J·D·万斯，以及他的国务卿马可·卢比奥。共和党人在这两人之间的支持率大致相当。
乔·桑达是一名65岁的公司财务总监，居住在莱克奥里昂。他表示，如果肯尼迪参选总统，他可能会排在“前五名左右”。
“他是个很棒的沟通者，”他说，“我以前在电视上见过他。他真的很出色，也很有娱乐性。”
戴夫·曼恩是一名70岁的退役设备操作员，来自芬顿。他表示，如果肯尼迪在2028年参选总统，他不会投票给肯尼迪。
“我认为几乎所有政客都不诚实，他也不例外，”他说。
罗杰斯不愿评价肯尼迪2028年的参选前景，他对CNN表示，路易斯安那州参议员是“一个很棒的人”，他“认识他好几年了”，但他目前只能专注于今年的选举。
共和党需要什么样的2028年总统候选人？
“一个赢家，”罗杰斯说，“我认为未来两年将很大程度上决定该党的发展方向。”
John Kennedy has a quip for every occasion. Is that enough to beat the ‘goobers’ in the 2028 GOP field?
2026-10-12T09:00:45.318Z / CNN
Highland, Michigan—
After hearing Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy unload his characteristically colorful combination of homespun quips, over-the-top insults and Talladega Nights movie quotes to reporters on Friday, former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Michigan Senate GOP candidate with whom Kennedy was campaigning, knew his own words wouldn’t be getting much attention.
“It’s like following the baton twirler in the talent show,” Rogers said. “You know, you’re never going to win that thing.”
Kennedy has taken his act on the road, campaigning with GOP Senate nominees in several states in the closing weeks of this year’s midterm elections — including stops in Ohio on Thursday and Michigan on Friday, where he repeatedly declared that Rogers “pisses excellence.” The 74-year-old Kennedy is “tired,” he said, but still thinking about making a second trip to Alaska and a stop in Texas, both also home to key Senate races, ahead of Election Day.
It’s a calendar that could serve as a prelude to a bid for national office. Kennedy says he is weighing a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. He’ll have to decide soon after the midterm elections whether to seek the White House or run for a third term in the Senate.
He told reporters in Michigan on Friday that as he thinks about a presidential run, his biggest concern is “the goober factor.”
“If a bunch of goobers run, and I don’t think I can be effective in the Senate anymore, then I would consider it,” he said. “But right now, I’m running for reelection.”
What are the differences, CNN asked, in where the so-called “goobers” want to steer the GOP and where Kennedy would like to move the party?
“Let me tell you about goobers — and I’m not going to name goobers,” Kennedy said. “Being a goober is a lot like pornography. It’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it.”
Later Friday night, Kennedy drew loud cheers and a number of laughs during his speech to what Rogers’ campaign said was about 900 attendees at a barn party in Highland — situated in Oakland County, an affluent and highly educated Detroit suburb that is a swing region in Michigan elections.
But interviews with attendees afterward laid bare the challenge that would confront the Louisiana senator if he tries to translate what works in Washington, and in front of audiences that have never seen him in person before, onto the presidential campaign trail — where voters would demand that he prove he isn’t a “goober” himself.
Even some of Kennedy’s biggest admirers at the barn party told CNN on Friday they thought his wit wouldn’t be enough to fuel a presidential campaign.
Jan Dillaha, a 64-year-old manufacturing company executive in Indian River, said she loves Kennedy and reeled off some of her favorite lines from the senator. She even noted that, in his speech Friday night, Kennedy had omitted one go-to Kennedyism.
“He left out ‘hobo on a ham sandwich,’ which is my personal favorite,” she said.
But as for 2028, Dillaha said, Kennedy “would not be my first pick,” even though she thinks he’d do well as president.
“To be honest, speaking in there, most of the stuff that he said tonight, I’ve heard before,” she said. “But, you know, you can’t do that over the course of two years and not have people get tired of it. So he’s going to have to up his game there.”
James Semerad, a 70-year-old retired Navy veteran who lives in Clarkston — but once lived in Louisiana — said Kennedy “has a unique way of saying stuff” that connects with the state.
“He’s got good stage presence. He’s got good charisma. And he makes issues funny, rather than just very serious,” Semerad said. “He has a way of twisting some really important points in a way that makes you think. He’s a funny guy, but he’s also a really smart guy.”
What about Kennedy for president in 2028?
“He’ll have to change up his persona somewhat,” Semerad said, “to look more presidential.”
On Capitol Hill, Kennedy’s sharp exchanges with witnesses in congressional hearings often make news. And sometimes, he misfires. That was the case last month, when Kennedy helped Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt hold up a poster displaying text messages as Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of a conspiracy based largely on Schmitt confusing the Atlanta Hawks and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
For all his homey, sometimes movie-inspired and occasionally crude witticisms, Kennedy is also a clear-eyed political operator. He is a former Democrat who switched parties in 2007, after the party’s massive midterm losses, when he was state treasurer. He said his own political operation has been conducting polling on key races this year.
And he acknowledged to reporters that the GOP is facing intense political headwinds this fall.
“The cost of living is a big issue. And it’s more than just dollars and cents. I sense it on both sides. … It’s cost of living, but it’s also people. They’re angry, and if they’re not angry, many of them feel a deep melancholy — and they just feel like, you know, these people in Washington, they don’t listen and they don’t care,” Kennedy said. “And the system no longer works for them.”
Kennedy put his wit to work for Rogers on Friday, first at a joint stop at a manufacturing plant in Sterling Heights, and then at the barn party. For the second event, Kennedy had kept his blue-striped button-down shirt, navy blazer and quartz field watch on a blue and yellow nylon strap, but ditched the charcoal trousers and light brown penny loafers he’d worn earlier in favor of lighter-wash jeans and cowboy boots.
In a roughly nine-minute speech, Kennedy unloaded a series of quips that showcased what has made him a popular figure with those politically plugged-in enough to catch television highlights of congressional hearings and see his interviews on news programs.
If one were to get in between Rogers and what’s best for Michigan, Kennedy told reporters, “he will eat you up and spit the bones on the floor. He will beat you like you stole Christmas.”
He said Democrats are captured by a “Hamas wing” of the party that includes Rogers’ Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, as well as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
And in their debate Thursday night, Kennedy said, Rogers “ripped Dr. El-Sayed a new ashtray.”
Then, he waded into culture wars — sometimes in confusing fashion.
“The good people of Michigan and the good people of America do not deserve to be governed by people who hate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt and Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head,” he told the crowd at the barn party.
He also suggested to the crowd that Democrats carry around bags of kale for energy boosts.
“This is America. You can do what you want. But to me, kale tastes like I’d rather be fat,” he said.
In about two dozen interviews with attendees, some of whom said they did not want to be named, the possibilities that came up most frequently when discussing the looming race to replace President Donald Trump were Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio. Republicans were split roughly evenly in who they preferred between the two.
Joe Sanda, a 65-year-old company controller who lives in Lake Orion, said Kennedy would rank “maybe in the top five or something” of Republican candidates if he runs for president.
“He’s a great communicator,” he said. “I’ve seen him on TV before. He’s really good. He’s entertaining.”
Dave Mann, a 70-year-old retired equipment operator from Fenton, said he would not vote for Kennedy if he runs for president in 2028.
“I think pretty much all politicians are crooked, him included,” he said.
Rogers wouldn’t weigh in on Kennedy’s 2028 prospects, telling CNN the Louisiana senator is “a wonderful guy” and that he’s “known him for a few years,” but that he can’t think past this year’s election.
What does the GOP need in its 2028 nominee?
“A winner,” Rogers said. “I think the next two years is going to say a lot about what direction the party goes.”