Politics
JUST IN: Reporters Caught Pre-Writing Anti-RFK Headlines Before His Confirmation Hearing
Eagle-eyed attendees at Wednesday’s U.S. Senate committee hearing for Robert F. Kennedy caught reporters pre-writing negative headlines about President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Health and Human Services before he even stepped up to the microphone to answer a single question.
Kennedy, who has repeatedly drawn controversy for his past statements about vaccines as well as outlandish stories about his personal life, is front and center in Washington, D.C., at the Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination. In advance of his opening remarks, sources close to Kennedy let it be known that he was prepared to downplay his past statements about the efficacy of vaccines.
“I want to make sure the Committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. Well, I am neither; I am pro-safety,” RFK said on Wednesday.
But that didn’t stop members of the press in attendance from getting a jump start on their clickbait headlines.
Calley Means, an entrepreneur and author, shared footage and a screenshot of a laptop being frantically worked by a reporter in the empty hearing room. Zooming in on the screen, Means showed off the scurrilous working title, “RFK Jr. faces grilling on ‘anti-vaccine’ comments and animal ‘mutilation’ at confirmation hearing.”
Indeed, Democratic senators came prepared with a laundry list of questions for RFK, including about his past vaccine comments and the allegation that he once left a dead bear cub in New York’s Central Park.
To be sure, RFK was stocked with his own set of commitments to encourage senators to vote for his confirmation. Elsewhere in his prepared remarks, the Democratic HHS nominee promised he is not “the enemy of food producers.”
“American farms are the bedrock of our culture and national security… I want to work with our farmers and food producers to remove burdensome regulations and unleash American ingenuity,” according to Fox News.
Kennedy still must endure a courtesy hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday, but Trump administration officials are already plotting to force Kennedy’s confirmation even if the committee vote does not go his way. He can only afford to lose one Republican vote there, and most observers believe Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician by trade, to be among the shakiest.
On Wednesday, Kennedy sought to quell fears that he would dismantle years of research and distribution of vaccines, saying he would not “take away anybody’s vaccines” if confirmed to head up HHS. “In my advocacy, I have disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions. Well, I won’t apologize for that. We have massive health problems in this country that we must face honestly,” he added.
“All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a critical role in healthcare.”
