In a bold and impassioned move, Caroline Kennedy has publicly voiced her opposition to the nomination of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for the position of secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Writing to senators ahead of RFK Jr.'s Senate confirmation hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, Caroline Kennedy did not mince words. She described her cousin as a predator and deemed him unfit for the significant responsibilities that come with the role. This pronounced stance comes from Caroline Kennedy, a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and Japan and the last surviving child of President John F. Kennedy.
Expressing her long-held reservations, Caroline articulated the urgency of her intervention, stating, I feel an obligation to speak out now. Her concerns stem from her lifelong acquaintance with RFK Jr. and what she describes as his persistent pursuit of controversial and harmful behaviors. Furthermore, she revealed disconcerting episodes from their shared pasts, such as RFK Jr.'s interaction with animals that she claims resembled a perverse scene of despair and violence.
Caroline further critiqued her cousin's apparent hypocrisy concerning public health, particularly his stance on vaccinations. She highlighted an alarming contradiction: while RFK Jr. publicly criticizes vaccinations, he chooses to vaccinate his own children. Such behavior, she argues, exploits the fears and vulnerabilities of parents with gravely ill children, ultimately misleading them for personal gain.
This isn't the first instance where RFK Jr.'s controversial views, particularly his skepticism towards vaccines, have drawn public concern. Healthcare professionals have previously indicated worries about the potential impact of his views should he assume such a pivotal health-related position. The role of HHS secretary is crucial, holding sway over key health policies and public health initiatives at a national level.
Moreover, Caroline's letter delves into personal family pains, accusing RFK Jr. of leveraging the tragic assassinations of their fathers—the late President Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy—for public sympathy and personal advancement. These actions, she suggests, tarnish the family's legacy and would be unacceptable to their forebears.
She concluded her fervent letter by extolling the virtues of the American healthcare system, despite its imperfections, asserting that its dedicated professionals deserve a more suitable leader. Her call to action for the Senate is clear: They deserve better than Bobby Kennedy – and so do the rest of us. I urge the Senate to reject his nomination.
This public plea from within the Kennedy family adds a weighty voice to the discourse surrounding RFK Jr.'s contentious candidacy, emphasizing the potential implications for not only health policies but also the standing repute of a storied American family.