Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his own stage

WASHINGTON—While most eyes in the nation’s capital focused solely on last night’s presidential debate, a group gathered in the lobby of the iconic Washington Hilton to watch a livestream of a different candidate on a different stage.

Independent president hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr., barred from participating in the main debate, streamed his real-time reactions on X, formerly known as Twitter. During the event, Kennedy stood at a single podium next to a screen showing the debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Moderator John Stossel asked for his responses to the statements made by the two major parties’ candidates.

“[Americans] see the vitriol you see here, the division, the polarization. It makes them disgusted with politics. They're seeing the corrupt merger of state and corporate power. These politicians do nothing but hate on each other. If you want more of the same you should vote for President Trump and President Biden,” Kennedy said.

During the event, which at one point attracted 5.5 million viewers on X, Kennedy addressed his plans for the border, China, inflation, and more.

Kennedy attempted to join the debate but fell short of the criteria set by CNN. Among them, the network said he hadn’t made it onto the ballot in enough states to have a chance at winning the presidency.

Jason Amatucci, the director of Kennedy’s Virginia campaign, believes the network created a double standard meant to keep the candidate away.

“It was collusion to begin with,” Amatucci said. “Biden and Trump are not on the ballot anywhere. Zero. They’re presumptive nominees. So it doesn’t make any sense. Bobby is the only candidate that is on the ballot in states,” Amatucci said.

According to the campaign website, Kennedy has qualified to appear on the ballot in eight states: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah—collectively accounting for 106 Electoral College votes. A candidate needs 270 to win the presidency. The campaign says it has submitted signatures for ballot access in 11 other states.

Earlier Thursday, Amatucci helped organize a pro-Kennedy demonstration in front of the White House. He and many other voters there believed CNN robbed Americans disenfranchised with Republican and Democratic nominees of an opportunity to hear from a third option.

“Americans look at the debate and they go, ‘these are our choices,’ right? If he was up there it would put in their mind that he’s an actual choice that can win. When they exclude him from the debate, they kind of say, ‘Oh, these are your only two choices,’” Amatucci said.

Polling from ActiVote released on June 21 ahead of the debate showed Kennedy with support from 14.2 percent of voters nationally when stacked against Biden and Trump.