On the day that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled $500 million in vaccine research, Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan could have said something in a public appearance with him about his reckless attack on national health care that puts lives at risk.
But they didn’t. They showered him with compliments.
When Kennedy lied about mRNA vaccines and said they don’t work on respiratory illnesses, Sullivan and Murkowski sat on their hands and failed to correct him.
The mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the pandemic.
While Sullivan and Murkowski yucked it up with Kennedy, health experts derided the federal cutback.
(See the full video below from Alaska’s News Source.)
Murkowski and Sullivan never mentioned Kennedy’s cancellation of the vaccine research and how it will guarantee that the United States will be less prepared for the next pandemic. The two of them have yet to speak out.
“On the chopping block are vaccine developments for several respiratory illnesses. That includes a project to defend the country against the H5N1 bird flu virus, which scientists warn could spiral into a deadly pandemic if someone contracts it while also infected with the seasonal flu virus,” the Washington Post said in an editorial.
“And that’s just the beginning. Researchers are eager to deploy mRNA technology against a slew of other hard-to-tackle pathogens, from hepatitis C to HIV to malaria. There are even efforts to use this approach to activate the immune system to attack cancer cells and to treat other genetic diseases. Some scientists have suggested this research could also be essential for national security, as it might help defend against attacks from biological weapons.”
“Calling Kennedy’s latest actions shortsighted understates the gravity of his slander. Americans will bear the cost of his rejection of science,” the Post said.
But none of this was important enough to break through the Sullivan and Murkowski fog machine in which they said how great it was to have Kennedy in Alaska and how smart he is and how much he knows about Alaska, etc.
They also went along with his lies about cutting Medicaid, a topic for another day.
Kennedy’s attack on vaccine research, clearly more important than Kennedy’s plan to go fishing on what he called the “Ka-nai,” would never have come up at all had a reporter not asked about it near the end of the press conference.
Here is how Murkowski introduced Kennedy:
“It’s an honor to be able to welcome him back to Alaska. It is, is yet another trip in his repertoire of many, many visits to the state of Alaska. He’s familiar with many of our issues, but most notably as they relate to Alaska Native peoples. So to, to have him here in his capacity as the, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the oversight of IHS (Indian Health Service) is significant and it’s important. I think he’s heard today much about what he already knows with regards to self-determination, self-governance, some of the issues that impact our, our tribal health organizations.”
“Whether it’s the impact of rising 105L or contact support costs, the implications for budgets, but also to better understand how we can provide for the flexibility that is necessary for, ah, truly meaningful um, collaboration, innovation and leadership within the Native health structure. So, he’s got a lot on his plate and the fact that he’s chosen to come here at the invitation of the delegation, spend some time not only here in Anchorage but up in the Interior tomorrow and then down on the Peninsula following, is an indication again of the significance that he has assigned to Alaska Native issues and, and the areas of concern that we face here. So pleased to have him here in the state.”
Sullivan made similar remarks, overflowing with praise, speaking for nearly five minutes. He said, in part:
“This is an exciting time of year. One of the things we try to do in the delegation is bring up cabinet secretaries to see our state. We are in a big kind of mode right now. Some of you saw in June we hosted Secretary (Doug) Burgum, Secretary (Chris) Wright, EPA administrator (Lee) Zeldin. Now it’s a great honor to have Secretary Kennedy here. Next week we’re also going to be hosting Secretary (Kristi) Noem, Secretary (Scott) Turner, Secretary (Sean) Duffy. So we have a lot of people, a lot of cabinet officials, subcabinet officials, admirals, generals that we’re gonna be hosting in Alaska in August. It’s exciting time.”
“I just want to do a really big shout-out to Secretary Kennedy. From the first time I met him, I mentioned in the Mega meeting today, you know a lot of times when we do our advise and consent role, particularly with the cabinet officials, deputy secretaries, I always ask em hey have you ever been to Alaska? Most have said no and then you get a commitment for them to come to Alaska. All of em. They all do. Before I could even like ask the question, Secretary Kennedy spent 25 minutes telling me of all the places he’s been to in Alaska, how many times he’s been up here, how he cares about these issues, how he’s been working on em for decades.”
“Especially Alaska Native health issues where I would say he’s not just passionate, but brings a level of expertise and commitment. So in our first meeting I was blown away by his commitment to Alaska. We’ll be going up to Fairbanks tomorrow to meet with the Tanana Chiefs Conference and others. But the meeting today was not at all a disappointment. Great exchange back and forth. As you know our Alaska Native health care system has challenges, but it’s certainly one of the most unique ah health care systems anywhere in the country. A lot of innovative ideas.”
All in all, a shameful performance by Murkowski and Sullivan.
Your contributions help support independent analysis and political commentary by Alaska reporter and author Dermot Cole. Thank you for reading and for your support. Either click here to use PayPal or send checks to: Dermot Cole, Box 10673, Fairbanks, AK 99710-0673.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
