Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CNN host Dana Bash engaged in a heated exchange on Sunday, with the independent presidential candidate accusing Bash of "talking nonsense" and "press malpractice" as she pressed him on vaccine skepticism and the COVID-19 pandemic response.
During the 21-minute interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Kennedy repeatedly challenged Bash to provide studies supporting the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly for children. "You are saying nonsense! You are saying something that you cannot show me a single study that says that," Kennedy stated, prompting Bash to retort, "I am not saying nonsense."
Bash countered that misinformation contributes to vaccine hesitancy, which she suggested could have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths. Kennedy accused her of being "part of the problem" in what he described as the dismantling of constitutional rights during the pandemic, asserting that journalists should maintain skepticism toward authority rather than criticize dissenters.
"Your job is a fierce skepticism toward authority and you weren’t doing that, you were beating up on people who were dissenting," Kennedy told Bash.
Bash then shifted the focus to the current measles outbreak, asking Kennedy if he accepted any responsibility as "one of the leading voices questioning vaccine efficacy." Kennedy denied responsibility. He also promoted unfounded claims linking the use of Tylenol during pregnancy to autism, which Bash dismissed.
The interview also touched upon preparedness for future pandemics, with Kennedy suggesting that "we did almost everything wrong" during the COVID-19 response and emphasizing the need to protect constitutional rights.
Earlier in the interview, Kennedy also deflected questions about his role in vaccine skepticism, accusing Bash of trying to attack him rather than engage in a "conversation about public health."