Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., sharply rebuked journalist Katie Couric during an interview, accusing her of "demeaning" President Trump's nominee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Erica G. Schwartz.
Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, expressed frustration when Couric suggested he was willing to accept an "adequate" nominee. "You’re implying that there could be a better nominee. I’m not sure there can be," Cassidy stated, adding that he believed Schwartz would be a good, perhaps even great, nominee based on her record and private conversations. He then directly addressed Couric, saying, "I’m not going to lie, you’re demeaning — you’re demeaning her."
Tensions Over Nominee and HHS Secretary
The exchange intensified as Couric pressed Cassidy on his support for Schwartz, given potential friction with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Cassidy acknowledged that if the CDC director adheres to scientific guidance while the HHS secretary holds different views, "there’s going to be a certain tension there."
Cassidy's support for Trump's health nominees has drawn scrutiny, particularly his crucial vote to advance Kennedy's nomination to HHS. Cassidy had previously voiced significant reservations about Kennedy's record on vaccines but ultimately voted to confirm him after receiving private assurances regarding vaccine access and approval processes. Couric highlighted these past assurances, noting, "With all due respect, Senator, we have seen this movie before."
Cassidy defended his decision to support Schwartz, acknowledging the risk of relying on private assurances but emphasizing the consequences of leaving the CDC without permanent leadership amid public health challenges. He argued that waiting for a perfect candidate might mean never filling the position.
Dr. Schwartz, a physician and preventive-medicine specialist, has held previous leadership roles in the U.S. Public Health Service, including deputy surgeon general. Despite her qualifications, questions have been raised about her ability to exercise independent scientific judgment under Kennedy.
Questions About RFK Jr.'s Qualification
Earlier in the interview, Couric directly asked Cassidy if Kennedy remained qualified to run HHS, particularly in light of what Cassidy himself had called misinformation about vaccines emanating from the department. Cassidy initially responded that Kennedy "serves at the pleasure of the president." When Couric pressed for a direct answer on qualification, Cassidy stated, "If I was the president of the United States, he would not be my secretary of HHS."
Cassidy accused Couric of trying to frame the discussion as a personal conflict, stating, "I really think your line of questioning is trying to… develop a Bill versus Bobby sort of scenario." He also asserted that "much of that which has been coming out regarding vaccines is false."
When asked if he would still vote to confirm Kennedy knowing what he knows now, Cassidy declined to provide a definitive yes or no answer. Following Cassidy's departure for a Senate vote, Couric described the interview as one of the most frustrating she had experienced, commenting on the senator's unwillingness to "speak truth to power."