Wednesday’s confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary was at times quite the spectacle, but nothing matched the unhinged meltdown by Sen. Bernie Sanders. He demonstrated a level of absurdity that only he could conjure up in such a serious setting.
Rather than address pressing health issues, Sanders fixated on the products sold by Kennedy’s organization, Children’s Health Defense — specifically, baby onesies with the messages “Unvaxxed Unafraid” and “No Vax. No Problem.”
The horror!
Picture Sanders, in his characteristic crotchety old man indignation, berating Kennedy for what he deemed the commercialization of anti-vaccine sentiment.
“I think the gist of what you were trying to say today is you’re really pro-vaccine [but] you want to ask questions. You have started a group called the Children’s Health Defense. You’re the originator,” the Vermont senator declared.
Sanders then proceeded to drag the conversation into the realm of the absurd, stating, “Right now, as I understand it, on their website, they are selling what's called onesies. These are little things — clothing for babies. One of them is… ‘Unvaxxed Unafraid.’ Next one — and they sold for 26 bucks a piece, by the way — next one is ‘No Vax. No Problem.’” From his tone, one would think he had discovered a criminal conspiracy rather than marketing merchandise that simply questions the narrative surrounding vaccine mandates and medical freedom.
By the way, Children’s Health Defense also sells a onesie that says, "Pharma is not my mama." It's notable that he didn't mention that one.
Sanders continued, "Now, you're coming before this committee, and you say you are pro-vaccine — just want to ask some questions — and yet your organization is making money selling a child's product to parents for 26 bucks which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines."
Related: WATCH: RFK Jr. Wipes the Floor With Senate Democrats During Confirmation Hearing
Sanders made it painfully clear that he was “positively outraged” by these shirts and demanded, “Can you tell us now that you will — now that you are pro-vaccine — that you’re going to have your organization take these products off the market?” It’s remarkable how Sanders seems to believe he should dictate what a nonprofit organization can or cannot sell.
Then again, he is a socialist.
“I’ve had nothing to do—” began Kennedy before Sanders interrupted him, practically frothing at the mouth as he demanded, “Are you supportive of these onesies?”
“I’m supportive of vaccines,” Kennedy told him.
“Are you supportive of these — this clothing, which is militantly anti-vaccine?” Sanders asked again, dialing it up a notch.
“I am supportive of vaccines,” Kennedy said again, holding in laughter at the absurdity of the conversation. “I want good science.”
The whole exchange culminated with Sanders angrily concluding, “You will not tell the organization you founded not to continue selling that product?”
You really have to watch it to appreciate it.
Unhinged Bernie Sanders pulls a display showing onesies in a desperate attempt at a “gotcha” moment as RFK laughs at him.
— Trump World (@Louaye1980) January 29, 2025
“Are you supportive of the onesies!”
Democrats have officially imploded pic.twitter.com/TIfhqoqQbu
If Sanders truly cared about the integrity of vaccine advocacy, he’d focus on the efficacy of vaccines and the science behind them, rather than sensationalizing harmless merchandise and assigning an ideology to it. If the COVID pandemic taught us anything, it’s that you can be pro-vaccine while simultaneously being against vaccine mandates and skeptical of vaccines that were rushed to market while giving nobody but the pharmaceutical companies immunity.
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