‘Love to see RFK squirm’: RFK Jr. grilled by Bernie Sanders about his anti-vaccine propaganda
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) was grilled about his dubious opinions on medicine during his confirmation hearing as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Senator Bernie Sanders tore into RFK’s prior anti-vaccine stances.
The senator from Vermont asked RFK about his drastic shift in medical opinions ever since he politically aligned himself with President Donald Trump. Sanders brought up that RFK went from a pro-choice stance to that of viewing abortion as a “tragedy.” Sanders himself called this change a “major U-turn” on such a crucial issue that most politicians don’t easily change their minds on.
Then, Sanders questioned RFK’s consistency with his vaccine stance and his affiliation with an advocacy group named Children’s Health Defense. Founded by RFK, the group is known for proliferating vaccine misinformation. According to Sanders, the website of the group sold $26 onesies for babies, both of them with anti-vaccine messaging. “Your organization is making money selling a child’s product to parents for 26 bucks, which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines.” Sanders asked RFK if his organization can take these clothes off the market now that he’s pro-vaccine.
Instead of directly responding, RFK claimed that he couldn’t do that because he resigned from the board. He then briefly reiterated his support for vaccines. Meanwhile, the Children’s Health Defense continues to be anti-vaccine. Regardless, social media users thought that RFK struggled to answer Sanders’ questions directly. One wrote on X, “Love to see RFK squirm and turn a deeper shade of burnt orange! He lies like a rug!” Meanwhile, other social media users still don’t trust RFK’s capacity to lead the HHS.
RFK has previously said in 2023, “There is no vaccine that is safe and effective.” Save for Trump’s strong MAGA base, Democrats and bystanders are finding it difficult to believe that RFK wouldn’t undermine vaccines as Secretary of the HHS.
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