Tipsheet

Sen. Bernie Sanders' Outburst at RFK Said the Quiet Part Out Loud

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  September 04, 2025 10:00 PM

Senate Democrats were brought to a full froth today, as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. answered questions about certain tweaks he plans to enact, especially regarding vaccinations. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) inadvertently said the quiet part out loud, which was that everyone on the Senate Finance Committee was, more or less, in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry (via Associated Press):

A contentious three-hour hearing between U.S. senators and Robert Kennedy Jr. devolved into multiple screaming matches on Thursday as the nation’s health secretary fended off accusations about sweeping changes he’s made to vaccines, health care policy and leadership. 

The oversight hearing in the Senate Finance Committee was a chance for senators to seek answers from Kennedy on recent high-profile departures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the appointment of vaccine critics to an influential federal advisory committee and changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations that will make it harder for many Americans to get the shots. 

Both Democrats and Republicans came out swinging. They questioned whether he would keep his earlier promise that he wouldn’t block vaccines for Americans who wanted them. A frustrated Kennedy dismissed those arguments but also sowed doubt on vaccine safety and effectiveness from the prominent perch on Capitol Hill. 

It was riddled with silliness, but the sticky wicket here is that while you might disagree with Kennedy on vaccines, the other side, the medical establishment, has some stones calling this man a kook. Second, post-COVID, people still hate institutions, and this one was the biggest liar of them all.