Dem 47
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GOP 53
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Kennedy Is Heard

Robert Kennedy Jr. was thrown into the lions' den yesterday, when the Senate Committee on HELP (Health, Education, Labor, Pensions) grilled him for 3½ unpleasant hours. It was very contentious. Democrats pressed him on the many inflammatory and outrageous things he has said about vaccines over the years. These are all extremely well documented.

Sen. Tina Smith (DFL-MN) queried Kennedy about what causes the bird flu. He said it was the H5N1 virus. Smith was pleased to hear that, since in a recent book, Kennedy questioned Louis Pasteur's germ theory of disease and questioned the power of vaccines and antibiotics to fight disease. Smith also brought up abortion and stated that she thought both Donald Trump and Kennedy were dangerous to mifepristone.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) was not convinced. He asked about Kennedy's former statements against vaccines and his current ones not being against them, merely "questioning" them. Wyden said: "He gave us a word salad and dumped the issue." Wyden called Kennedy's testimony untrustworthy and unprepared. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) said: "This is not just about a debate on vaccines, it's a debate about qualifications, experience and priorities." He made it clear that he thinks Kennedy, a lawyer, doesn't have any experience in government and knows nothing about running a major government organization.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) brought up a remark Kennedy once made comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps. Kennedy said "I don't believe that I ever compared the CDC to Nazi death camps." Then Warnock read him a verbatim transcript of a statement Kennedy had earlier made comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps. Kennedy said he was merely comparing the injury rate of our children to other atrocities. Warnock didn't seem impressed.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) brought up the subject of baby onesies with an anti-vaccine message sold by a antivaccine nonprofit Kennedy set up. Sanders noted that Kennedy now claims he is pro-vaccine, yet he is selling children's clothing with an antivaccine message for $26. He even held up a photos of one of them taken from the nonprofit's website. Kennedy said he had resigned from the board but didn't say why. Sanders asked him if he supported the onesies. Kennedy refused to give a straight answer.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) repeatedly asked Kennedy if he would continue to collect finder's fees off lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies. She also noted that as secretary, he could make changes that would result in more lawsuits and more finder's fees for him. He refused to state tha he would stop collecting fees from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) asked about false claims Kennedy has made about COVID-19, pesticides, and AIDS. Bennet started out by asking: "I'm asking you: Yes or no, did you say that COVID-19 was a genetically engineered bioweapon that targeted Black and white people but spared Jews and Chinese people?" Kennedy said he was just quoting a report that said that. Bennet said: "I'll take that as a yes." Then Bennet asked if Kennedy once said that Lyme disease is a military engineered bioweapon. Kennedy admitted that he did. The mild-mannered Bennet then said: "I want all of our colleagues to hear it, Mr. Kennedy. You said 'yes.'" Later Bennet noted that Kennedy once said that exposure to pesticides makes people transgender. The Democrats were well organized. Each one attacked Kennedy from a different direction. Kennedy will probably get zero Democratic votes on the floor of the Senate.

Most Republicans were sympathetic to Kennedy, but some actually wanted answers. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a doctor, and chairman of the committee, asked Kennedy about his plans to reform Medicaid, which covers 80 million people, including many poor children. Some Republicans want to make deep cuts in the program to fund tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Kennedy was evasive. Finally he said, I don't have a broad proposal for dismantling the program. He also made numerous mistakes during his testimony—for example, wrongfully stating that Medicaid is paid for by the federal government (it is not; it is a joint federal-state program). When asked about abortion, he said abortion is a tragedy but he deferred to Trump.

Kennedy also took some flak outside the hearing room. His cousin, Caroline Kennedy, said that as a young man, he liked to show off how he put baby chicks and mice in a blender to make dinner for his pet hawks. She said: "It's no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator." Kennedy clearly has a strange relationship with animals. He once barbecued and ate a dog (claiming it was a goat). He also one dumped a dead bear cub in Central Park. Finally, his daughter, Kick Kennedy, said he once sawed off the head of a beached whale and took it home.

But there is more (flak, not weird dead animal stories). A letter signed by 700 people in public health urged the Senate to reject Kennedy, saying: "He has little to no relevant administrative, policy or health experience or expertise." Another letter signed by over 75 Nobel laureates urged the Senate to reject Kennedy. As if that is not enough, even Rupert Murdoch opposes Kennedy. Both the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal and Murdoch-owned New York Post have written editorials calling for the Senate to reject Kennedy.

Not all senators are geniuses. In fact, most of them aren't although a few are reasonably smart. Nevertheless, you don't get to be a senator unless you are fairly good at reading people. Probably every senator, with the possible exception of those who played one football game too many years ago, know that Kennedy is not only unqualified to be secretary of HHS, but an active threat to the country's health. Yet almost every Republican will grudgingly vote for his confirmation because they are scared to death of what Trump will do to them if they don't. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY is probably a "no" vote because he had polio as a child and understands the importance of vaccinations. The two women who voted against Pete Hegseth probably are "no" votes again. Susan Collins (R-ME) has a tough race next year and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) actually tries to do what is best for the country, at least from time to come. So in the end, it may come down to Cassidy, a physician, who knows very well how important vaccinations are. Unfortunately, he is up for reelection next year. If he votes "no," he will probably be challenged by Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming. That doesn't mean he is a dead duck. Beating a sitting senator isn't easy, even one with $100 million from Elon Musk. If Cassidy kills the nomination, he will become a hero among Democrats and he will probably get lots of money from Democrats around the country. Cassidy is about to get the full Tillis treatment (see next item). This is definitely a Profiles in Courage moment for him. (V)



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