Into the Arena: Hostile Democrats, skeptical Republicans tear into Kennedy on the Hill

Fitness and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr uncovered himself in the arena Thursday morning Room of the Dirksen Senate Office Building is not a conventional arena It's the hearing room for the Senate Finance Committee but circumstances converted the room into such a venue Kennedy was due to appear before the Senate Finance panel long before August happened but Kennedy s August is what placed special focus on Kennedy s appearance RFK Jr sacked newly-confirmed Centers for Syndrome Control Director Susan Monarez four weeks after senators greenlit her nomination and issued new stringent controversial eligibility guidelines for people to receive a COVID- booster this fall TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE S DIFFERENT The forum was hostile The hearing for Kennedy hurriedly devolved into a verbal judo match He sparred with senators from both parties They jousted over science and politics but the heart of the conflict was internal turmoil at the CDC and vaccines Do you accept the fact that a million Americans died from COVID demanded Sen Mark Warner D-Va of Kennedy I don t know how multiple died answered Kennedy Warner was apoplectic You're the Secretary of Fitness and Human Services You don't have any idea how multiple Americans died from COVID appealed an incredulous Warner I don't think anybody knows because there was so much input chaos coming out of the CDC replied Kennedy RFK JR AND TOP DEM CLASH DURING HEATED SENATE HEARING 'THIS IS ABOUT KIDS'This bewildered Warner The Secretary of Healthcare and Human Services doesn't know how a multitude of people died from COVID Doesn't know if the vaccine helped prevent any deaths And you are the sitting Secretary of Robustness and Human Services continued Warner How can you be that ignorant That was only part of Democrats unloading on Kennedy You're so wrong on your facts the Secretary charged when tangling with Sen Maria Cantwell D-Wash The Washington Democrat wasn t having it You're interrupting me And sir you're a charlatan disclosed Cantwell You're the one who conflates chronic illness with the need for vaccines You are putting America's babies wellbeing at peril America's seniors' vitality at threat All Americans soundness at danger And you should resign noted Sen Elizabeth Warren D-Mass At one point RFK Jr tussled with Sen Michael Bennet D-Colo You re evading the question Kennedy yelled at the senator RFK JR INVOKES DEMOCRAT FATHER S WORDS TO DEFEND TRUMP-BACKED CDC SHAKEUP AT SENATE HEARINGBennet wouldn t allow the witness to flip the script I'm asking the questions here I'm asking the questions thundered Bennet I'm asking the questions on behalf of parents and schools and teachers all over the United States of America who deserve so much better than your leadership But the secretary gave as good as he got You're making things up to scare people and it's a lie alleged Kennedy when facing questions from Sen Maggie Hassan D-N H He went on to accuse Hassan of crazy talk and claimed she was just making stuff up BERNIE SANDERS CALLS FOR RFK JR TO RESIGN AS HHS SECRETARY OVER VACCINE POLICIES RALLY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE Kennedy s new COVID jab guidelines roiled the hearing He reported Warren that anyone can get the booster So you're saying that is now the official rule Just anybody is eligible to get a booster by just walking into the pharmacy queried Warren It's not recommended for healthy people Kennedy noted No no retorted Warren If you don't recommend it then the consequence of that in plenty of states is that you can't walk into a pharmacy and get one Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso R-Wyo is an orthopedist but even he was vexed by Kennedy s vaccine vacillation In your confirmation hearings you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines stated Barrasso Since then I ve grown deeply concerned Sen Thom Tillis R-N C who is no stranger to calling out the Trump administration warned Kennedy to tread diligently on vaccines We're playing with fire here warned Tillis outside the hearing room If the death rates go up for children who aren't vaccinated they need to own it Own it Don't say whoops we got the science wrong RFK JR DENIES TELLING FORMER CDC DIRECTOR TO APPROVE VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONSSenate Wellbeing Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy R-La is a gastroenterologist He was skeptical of Kennedy s qualifications for the job before ultimately voting to confirm him Cassidy seemed baffled by the secretary s stance on vaccines Do you agree with me that the president deserves a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed requested Cassidy about the Trump administration s effort to fast-track a COVID- shot in Yeah absolutely senator It's phenomenal Kennedy responded But you just reported Sen Bennet that the COVID vaccine killed more people than COVID noted Cassidy Wait I did not say that Kennedy fired back but Cassidy wasn't through It surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed when as an attorney you attempted to restrict access revealed Cassidy MORE THAN HHS WORKERS DEMAND KENNEDY RESIGNATION OVER CDC DIRECTOR FIRING AND AGENCY CHANGESDuring the hearing Kennedy claimed on multiple occasions that he canned Monarez as CDC chief because she didn t tell the truth Are you telling us that the former head of CDC went to you and you demanded are you a trustworthy person And she commented no I am not a trustworthy person questioned Sen Bernie Sanders I-Vt She didn't say no I'm not a trustworthy person She disclosed no revealed Kennedy Wow exclaimed Sanders Sen Roger Marshall R-Kan who is an OB-GYN defended the firing even though President Trump nominated Monarez and Marshall just supported her confirmation in July I voted for her I made a mistake I thought she could do the job But unfortunately she's not part of the President's mission of Secretary Kennedy turning the CDC upside down announced Marshall As we noted August happened VP VANCE CURSES OUT SENATORS AFTER HEATED KENNEDY HEARING 'FULL OF S--- AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT'Sen Ron Johnson R-Wisc criticized his colleagues who attacked Kennedy and he noted that each senator only scored five minutes to question the Secretary Thank you for your willingness to serve and for putting up with this abuse Johnson announced to Kennedy Five minutes isn t even close to refute all of the falsehoods that have been confidently spewed during this hearing Vice President JD Vance also rode to Kennedy s aid posting on social media that Democrats are getting absolutely TORCHED by SecKennedy He added that Democrats were full of sh t and everyone knows it The turmoil isn t over Kennedy advised senators he may fire other CDC personnel And one can imagine the questions about COVID- which might emerge this fall and winter if there s yet another surge Senate Finance Committee Chairman Michael Crapo R-Idaho granted Sen Ron Wyden D-Ore the top Democrat on the panel a sparse extra questions at the end of the hearing Crapo then appealed Kennedy if he cared to add any closing remarks Kennedy declined the invitation I ll have mercy on everybody and let us adjourn he commented Until there s another foray into the arena