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bigtree

(90,535 posts)
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 01:31 PM 20 hrs ago

'Frankly, you frighten people,' Sen. Whitehouse tells RFK Jr.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., questioned Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday in his confirmation hearing for health and human services secretary.

For years, Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has spread misinformation and falsehoods about vaccines and their safety, including the heavily debunked claim that they cause autism. Kennedy has also promoted drinking raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration says can pose a “serious health risk.” His views on these issues and others have prompted concern among health experts about his nomination.

Whitehouse pressed Kennedy on a number of his views. On vaccinations, he sought from Kennedy "a promise from you never to say vaccines aren't medically safe, when they in fact are" and asked Kennedy to make "indisputably clear that you support mandatory vaccinations against diseases where that will keep people safe. You're in that hole pretty deep," Whitehouse said.

Whitehouse referenced a recent measles case in Rhode Island, the first in more than a decade, and told Kennedy: "Frankly, you frighten people."

watch:


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'Frankly, you frighten people,' Sen. Whitehouse tells RFK Jr. (Original Post) bigtree 20 hrs ago OP
So Much For Law School Buddies Deep State Witch 20 hrs ago #1
And that's aside from birdographer 20 hrs ago #2
... ancianita 20 hrs ago #3
He's not ugly and never was..He now just has an whathehell 18 hrs ago #12
I don't mind i when they're as Cha 18 hrs ago #14
Extracting promises from GOP nominees during hearings they won't do something terrible if confirmed, sop 19 hrs ago #4
Yeah, those confirmation promises worked out so well for us on Roe v Wade. bluesbassman 19 hrs ago #7
Good, interesting point. Maybe they extract promises to put on record any that later turn out to be lies? ancianita 19 hrs ago #9
It was pretty clear he'll be supporting him tho WhiskeyGrinder 19 hrs ago #5
If Whitehouse votes YES I am going to lose almost all my respect for him. NoMoreRepugs 19 hrs ago #6
They're longtime friends and he didn't ask him any questions. WhiskeyGrinder 19 hrs ago #8
is it? WTF? Seems like WhiteHouse might if RFK Jr retracts all the stuff he said about vaccines LymphocyteLover 18 hrs ago #10
What is the CMS that WhiteHouse is raging about? LymphocyteLover 18 hrs ago #11
... littlemissmartypants 18 hrs ago #13
seems like it should be CMMS LymphocyteLover 13 hrs ago #19
Thank you, Senator Whitehouse. Paladin 18 hrs ago #15
His voice took me awhile after hearing it for 1st time Pas-de-Calais 18 hrs ago #16
So the routine is this moniss 17 hrs ago #17
Not to be trite but that is why they want him in there. twodogsbarking 17 hrs ago #18
RFK is fucking insane in the membrane Blue Owl 11 hrs ago #20

Deep State Witch

(11,539 posts)
1. So Much For Law School Buddies
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 01:36 PM
20 hrs ago

It sounds like Whitehouse got the message that being buddies with someone in law school shouldn't help them get appointed to positions they have no business being in.

ancianita

(39,260 posts)
3. ...
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 01:41 PM
20 hrs ago

Ugly on the inside -- what he's said & done -- as much as the outside. Hopefully these hearings go into the Congressional Record, for the historical record about this administration.

whathehell

(29,977 posts)
12. He's not ugly and never was..He now just has an
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:59 PM
18 hrs ago

older, weather beaten face that that looks like it's spent too much time in the sun.

Cha

(306,528 posts)
14. I don't mind i when they're as
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 03:07 PM
18 hrs ago

ugly on the inside out.

I think melania is Ugly because of what she is.

sop

(12,183 posts)
4. Extracting promises from GOP nominees during hearings they won't do something terrible if confirmed,
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 01:48 PM
19 hrs ago

when every public statement they've ever made shows they will do exactly the opposite, is not productive. GOP nominees will promise anything to be confirmed. Just assume they're lying and go from there.

ancianita

(39,260 posts)
9. Good, interesting point. Maybe they extract promises to put on record any that later turn out to be lies?
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:10 PM
19 hrs ago

Take RFK, Jr, for example. If questioners assume he's' lying, I'd wonder what kinds of questions they would ask from there. I'm sure there are some, so it would be interesting to hear a few, and to hear questioners then compare his answers to what he's said or done in the past. And then point out his in/consistency or ask why he's changed.
Just thinkin' out loud.

NoMoreRepugs

(10,847 posts)
6. If Whitehouse votes YES I am going to lose almost all my respect for him.
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:01 PM
19 hrs ago

We are talking about endangering tens of thousands of Americans if not more.

LymphocyteLover

(7,153 posts)
10. is it? WTF? Seems like WhiteHouse might if RFK Jr retracts all the stuff he said about vaccines
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 02:55 PM
18 hrs ago

which seems unlikely

Paladin

(29,244 posts)
15. Thank you, Senator Whitehouse.
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 03:41 PM
18 hrs ago

The more the designation of "you frighten people" is hung around rfk jr.'s neck, the better.

Pas-de-Calais

(10,034 posts)
16. His voice took me awhile after hearing it for 1st time
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 03:44 PM
18 hrs ago


Reminds me of Reverend Jim from Taxi sitcom fame

moniss

(6,389 posts)
17. So the routine is this
Wed Jan 29, 2025, 03:49 PM
17 hrs ago

line of crap constantly playing out where the nominee makes promises, gets confirmed, breaks the promises almost immediately, later testifies to Congress and lies and/or obfuscates breaking the promises and it all ends with nothing being done. No accountability. No shame for the lying or a care in the world for the harm done to people.

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