NY Times Crusade Against RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary Gains Momentum as Polio Survivors Utilized

The New York Times has launched a vigorous, and some would say vicious campaign against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), shaping public discourse and stirring opposition on both sides of the political aisle. The newspaper’s focus on RFK Jr.’s controversial positions—ranging from COVID-19 vaccine skepticism to alleged anti-vaccine rhetoric—has ignited a firestorm of debate, positioning the Kennedy nomination as a litmus test for the future of public health leadership. Now some would say the once  prominent news organization introduces the next wave of its attack, introducing a group of polo survivors, adamant against RFK Jr’s confirmation.

COVID-19 Controversy: A Flashpoint in the Times’ Coverage

One focal point of the Times’ reporting is a 2021 petition Kennedy filed with the FDA, during a critical phase of the pandemic, calling for the revocation of emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines. The petition, championing what the medical establishment declares unproven treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, was swiftly condemned by the mainstream medical establishment as dangerous and irresponsible.

Public health experts argue that Kennedy’s actions undermined confidence in vaccines, which government data suggest saved over 140,000 lives in the U.S. during the pandemic. For the Times, Kennedy’s stance reflects a significant lapse in judgment, fueling their narrative that his appointment would be detrimental to public health policy.

The Polio Debate: A New Front

Building on its critique of Kennedy’s COVID-19 actions, the Times has now turned its attention to another flashpoint: polio. Survivors of the disease, including high-profile figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have voiced concerns about Kennedy’s association with efforts to question the current polio vaccine. McConnell, a polio survivor, initially condemned any attempt to undermine proven vaccines, stating, “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed, they’re dangerous.” However, polio advocacy groups and survivors are pressing McConnell to take a more explicit stance against Kennedy’s nomination, adding a deeply emotional dimension to the opposition.

Medical ethicist Dr. Arthur Caplan, also a polio survivor, underscored the stakes, remarking, “The voices that need to be heard are the kids who died, the kids who didn’t make it. That’s the warning to Mitch McConnell about vaccines.” Survivors have framed the Kennedy nomination as a symbolic battle for public trust in vaccines, leveraging their personal stories to galvanize opposition.

Bipartisan Resistance: Divisions Within and Across Party Lines

The opposition to Kennedy is not confined to ideological boundaries. From the right, former Vice President Mike Pence has voiced strong objections, citing Kennedy’s stance on abortion and perceived departures from conservative public health values. Pence’s opposition has exposed fissures within the Republican Party, where traditional conservatives clash with libertarian-leaning, libertarian-minded medical freedom advocates drawn to Kennedy’s anti-establishment rhetoric.

On the left, Senator Elizabeth Warren has spearheaded the Democratic critique, penning a letter outlining 175 questions for Kennedy, including his controversial claim that COVID-19 was genetically engineered to exclude certain ethnic groups. Warren’s detailed inquiry underscores the broader skepticism among Democrats, who remain wary of Kennedy’s views on vaccines and public health agencies.

A Contentious Path Forward

As the nomination process unfolds, Kennedy faces an uphill battle according to some including the Times. According to reports, the Office of Government Ethics continues to review his financial disclosures, further delaying Senate hearings. Meanwhile, advocacy groups and senators from both sides are preparing for a contentious confirmation process.

Reports from TrialSite on the ground in Washington DC pick up positive chatter, that RFK Jr. should sail through the confirmation process. But these could be biased, based on subjective points of view.

With 20 senators reportedly supporting Kennedy, 19 opposed, and 61 undecided, the stakes are high. Advocates like Senator Ron Johnson argue that Kennedy would bring much-needed transparency and reform to HHS, while opponents warn that his confirmation could undermine decades of public health progress.

Senator Patty Murray captured the urgency of the opposition, stating, “It takes no imagination to see how dangerous it would be to confirm RFK Jr. as Health Secretary, and it takes mountains of willful ignorance to ignore it.”

On the other hand, with proactive pardons of Anthony Fauci this morning, an unprecedented move in American politics, clearly cover ups occurred during the pandemic. We must recognize that incoming Trump likely won because of RFK Jr. contingent teamed up and propelled him to the POTUS finish line.  Clearly tens of millions of Americans voted their anger and frustration in part as to how the Biden administration handled the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In none of the Times pieces do the reporters discuss some of the positive reasons a large numbers of Americans follow RFK Jr.  Never are government narratives that have proven to be false in some cases, vetted. Has the Times become a sort of organ for a corporate-state complex? 

Regardless, the battle over RFK Jr.’s nomination has become a microcosm of America’s broader debates over science, trust, and the role of government, not to mention a battle over what is truth. As the Senate prepares for what promises to be a fiery confirmation process, the outcome will likely reverberate far beyond the halls of Congress, shaping the future of public health leadership in an era of unprecedented polarization.