Rfk Jr. Tells Cnn Host That Constitutional Rights Take Priority Over Public Health

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashed with CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday, launching attacks against Anthony Fauci and arguing that protecting constitutional rights must take priority during future public health crises.

During an appearance on “State of the Union” that Bash herself described as “contentious,” Kennedy argued that Fauci, who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the Covid-19 pandemic, was to blame for the millions of Americans who were sickened or killed by the respiratory virus.

Bash challenged Kennedy’s assertions — pointing out that public health experts say it was a combination of factors that led to such high death rates, including gaps in health care and misinformation — and noted that Fauci served under President Donald Trump in the first Trump administration. Still, Kennedy held firm that it was Fauci who set the Covid response.

"Anthony Fauci was mismanaging the Covid pandemic and was doing it under the Biden administration. President Trump wanted to end the lockdowns," Kennedy said.

The exchange grew tense as Bash pressed Kennedy on how the nation should prepare for a future pandemic.

“I mean, I think we did virtually everything wrong the last time,” Kennedy said, adding that the “primary obligation” in any future health crisis must be to “protect our constitutional rights.”

“You're talking about rights, and I'm asking about a potential public health crisis that is coming,” Bash replied.

“One of the mistakes we made in the last time was suppressing those rights,” Kennedy said. “So people weren't being heard. Doctors who are saying you're doing it wrong were being marginalized and vilified.”

As Bash attempted to pivot, Kennedy accused her and CNN of being “part of the problem.”

“Your job is a fierce skepticism toward authority,” he said before accusing Bash of attacking him.

“I'm not attacking you. I'm asking questions about how to prevent the next pandemic,” Bash replied. “But I also don't want to use this interview to allow you to say things that aren't entirely true. You're talking about therapeutics — fine. It is also factually true that the Covid vaccine worked. The Covid vaccine prevented deaths. There is data upon data upon data.”

Kennedy, however, dismissed those studies.

“You are saying nonsense. You are saying something that you cannot show me a single study that says that,” Kennedy said, accusing Bash of "scaring people" about Covid "because that was the job of CNN."

“We were listening to the leaders in this country, including the president, who had a daily press conference explaining what was going on and trying to listen,” Bash said before shifting over to the current measles outbreak.

Bash asked Kennedy if he accepted some responsibility for the current measles outbreak, labeling him as "one of the leading voices questioning vaccine efficacy.”

"Absolutely not,” Kennedy responded before again laying the blame at Fauci’s feet. “The reason we're having a measles outbreak is because of the Covid lockdowns, because people didn't — children during that period did not get vaccinated.”

Bash then challenged Kennedy to stare into the camera and vouch for measles vaccines — he did vouch for the vaccines — before asking about researching a link between vaccines and autism.

Kennedy responded by discussing concerns around consuming Tylenol while pregnant, appearing to echo Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of an unproven link between acetaminophen and autism. At that, Bash appeared visibly annoyed.

“You're rolling your eyes, Dana,” Kennedy said.

“I am because I don't want to have you use our air to say this,” she replied.

“Yeah you know, you probably don't understand this because you're not a scientist,” Kennedy said.

“Neither are you,” Bash shot back.

As the interview ended, Bash defended herself one last time: "My job is to try to get the best information out there."

In a statement, a CNN spokesperson expressed support for Bash, calling her a "veteran journalist" who "conducted a newsmaking interview" with Kennedy.

"Asking tough, substantive questions to those in power is the job of every journalist, and Dana did hers incredibly well today," the spokesperson said. "We stand behind Dana, her reporting, and CNN’s overall coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic."