Hollywood actor Bradley Whitford demands Cheryl Hines publicly denounce husband RFK Jr for backing Trump

Perhaps it was Bradley Whitford's stint on The West Wing in the early 2000s as deputy chief of staff and chief political advisor Josh Lyman to fictional President Jed Bartlett that let him to believe he should tell a woman, publicly, how to treat her husband over his political views. On Saturday, Whitford wrote an open post to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s wife Cheryl Hines, saying that she should publicly denounce him over his endorsement of Donald Trump for a second term in the White House.

"Hey Cheryl Hines," he wrote, "way to stay silent while your lunatic husband throws his support behind the adjudicated rapist who brags about stripping women of their fundamental rights. Gutsy. Great example for the kids. Profile in courage." And with that reference to JFK's autobiography, he shared a clip of Trump, originally posted by the Kamala Harris campaign, in which Trump praised the Supreme Court decision that returned the decision on abortion legality to the states. Providing full abortion access, no matter the age of mother or gestation period of the unborn child, is a key component of the Democrats' platform.

Kennedy had said on Friday that he thought something like this might happen. In his announcement about ending his run for president, he said the decision to suspend his campaign was "heart wrenching." The decision to support Trump was "agonizing for me," he said, "because of the difficulties it causes my wife and my children and my friends."

"The decision has been made to suspend my husband's, Robert Kennedy Jr.'s, presidency and I'd like to extend a sincere, deeply heartfelt thank you to every person who has worked so tirelessly and lovingly on his campaign," Hines said after Kennedy suspended his campaign. "They have accomplished feats that were said to be impossible. They have gathered over a million signatures,  more than any candidate in history,  and have achieved ballot access across the country despite the roadblocks and lawsuits that have been brought against them for the sole purpose of keeping Bobby off of the ballots so no one would even have the opportunity to vote for him. I deeply respect the decision Bobby made to run on the principle of unity."

"Over the last year and a half," she continued, "I have met some extraordinary people from all parties — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. It's been my experience that the vast majority of all parties are truly good people who want the best for our country and for each other. It has been an eye-opening, transformative, and endearing journey."

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Hines said of the coming backlash "I know it’s going to be bad." She went on to say "But these politicians are Teflon. They’re like nobody I’ve ever seen. I think back to Trump. Remember the early days of Trump when he insulted Ted Cruz’s wife about her looks? That’s so ridiculous and disrespectful that he would say something disrespectful about Ted Cruz’s wife. She has nothing to do with any of this. And I’m sure Ted Cruz will never forget that. “Then cut to Trump as president and Ted Cruz couldn’t be happier."

Others jumped in to bash Hines, with Tim Fullerton saying "I never pegged you as a Trump supporter but here we are." Or AJ Delgado jumping in with "Do you have a MAGA hat yet." Screenwriter Randi Mayem Singer said Hines "and her low rent Kennedy can both f*ck all the way off," according to the New York Post.

Commentators and journalists pointed out that it was absolutely insane for Hollywood celeb Whitford to condemn Hines for supporting her husband.

Top Democrat strategist David Axelrod, who perhaps views himself as something of a Josh Lyman, also had unkind words for Kennedy, but instead of going after his wife, he invoked Kennedy's dead father, attorney general under John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, who was assassinated while he was running for president. "Robert F. Kennedy Sr. would have been appalled to see his son cut a deal to drop out for he race and endorse Trump," Axelrod said.

But there's something different this time around. This cancellation, and these methods of shaming, aren't working anymore. Libs of TikTok shared a post from a young, Democrat activist who went to the DNC and came away disillusioned with the party, unsure of what it stood for anymore, but feeling fully that it didn't stand for her or her values. She said a lot in the few minutes, but at the end she said she's not going to be supporting Kamala, and that she's "not afraid" to say it. That is the key moment. She's not afraid. She sees the lies, the corruption, the fake candidate who stands for nothing but "generic platitudes," and she's not afraid to call it out.

That's new.

Kennedy and his family knew this was coming should he back Trump, but he did it anyway. A man who has received death threats, has been sabotaged by the Democrats, whose father and uncle were assassinated, refused to be cowed by the canceling mob. And he says other Democrats would be joining, as well. The fear of public shaming over one's political views is disipating.