RFK Jr. tells CNN host that constitutional rights take priority over public health

# RFK Jr. tells CNN host that constitutional rights take priority over public health

In a heated interview with Dana Bash, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attacked Anthony Fauci and the media.

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.

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

"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. So people weren't being heard. Doctors who are saying you're doing it wrong were being marginalized and vilified."

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

"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."

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."

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

"Neither are you," Bash shot back.

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."