Dem
47
GOP
53
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is a doctor, which means he studied human anatomy while he was in school (specifically, at Louisiana State University). However, he appears to have been out sick the day they covered the spine, because yesterday he rolled over, and announced his support for HHS-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Cassidy's behavior here is really and truly pathetic. For at least a week, two things have been crystal clear: (1) He really doesn't want to vote in favor of Kennedy and (2) He really doesn't want to be primaried from the right, since he might well lose (after all, the challenger would be backed by an endless supply of money courtesy of Elon Musk's PAC). The Senator tried desperately to secure something he could hang his hat on. Most obviously, he wanted an unequivocal statement from Kennedy that vaccines do not cause autism. Cassidy could not even get that, so yesterday he had to screw on a sh**-eating grin and tell reporters "The science is good. The science is credible. Vaccines save lives. They do not cause autism. There are multiple studies that show this." Because, as we all know, science is always what guides policy. Especially in this administration.
With the various mini-rebellions at an end, the Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to advance Kennedy's nomination to the floor, while the Senate Intelligence Committee did the same with Tulsi Gabbard's nomination. At this point, if either was not confirmed, it would be a stunning development on par with the sinking of the Titanic, the collapse of the Soviet Union, or Luka Dončić being traded to the Lakers.
In the end, Senate Republicans are simply not willing to oppose Trump on something so high-profile as a cabinet pick. Several of the members who crumbled in the past few days—e.g., Susan Collins (R-ME), Cassidy—made reference to the "counsel" they had received from their former colleague, VP J.D. Vance. We suspect that counsel involved telling the senators that they had better fall in line if they know what's good for them. Perhaps there was even talk of broken legs.
You can be absolutely confident that considerably more than four Republicans know that Kennedy should not get within a country mile of any job that has to do with public health. They know that Gabbard cannot be trusted to be DNI. They knew that Pete Hegseth has no business running the Pentagon. But, they gave in, so as to save themselves, country be damned. One is reminded of what Benjamin Franklin said about the corrupting influence of power.
Might the Republican members stand up to Trump in the future? It's certainly possible, if it's something lower-profile, and/or if Trump pushes Congress beyond its limits. In particular, nobody wants to be on an island, and if members of both chambers are pushing back on something—a dynamic not possible with Cabinet appointments, since those only go before the Senate—that makes it a bit easier for people to stick their necks out. All of this said, there is currently no good reason to think that the Republicans in Congress WILL stand up to Trump. Indeed, the available evidence suggests they will not. Still, it's worth it to remember that things MIGHT unfold differently under slightly different circumstances. But it would have to be something the voters understand and care about. Cabinet appointments do not fall in this category. (Z)