Sanders Praises RFK Jr.’s Views on Food Industry as ‘Exactly Correct,’ But Calls Other Statements ‘Extremely Dangerous’
By Jake Beardslee ·
December 6, 2024
In a recent interview with CBS News, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) provided a complex assessment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s perspectives on the health industry, simultaneously endorsing some views while strongly criticizing others. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia
Sanders expressed strong agreement with Kennedy's critique of the food industry, stating, "I think what he's saying about the food industry is exactly correct. I think you have a food industry concerned about their profits, could care less about the health of the American people. I think they have to be taken on." Lorie Shaull / Wikimedia
However, the senator was decidedly critical of other aspects of Kennedy's platform, particularly his stance on vaccines and public health interventions. Sanders described some of Kennedy's suggestions, such as removing fluoride from public water and his vaccine skepticism, as "extremely dangerous." John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The context of these remarks comes amid Kennedy's potential appointment to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a nomination that has raised concerns among public health experts. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and former independent presidential candidate, has been vocal about his deep skepticism of pharmaceutical companies and federal health regulators. Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
In previous statements, Kennedy has described federal health regulators as "sock puppets" controlled by industry special interests and has promised to overhaul departments within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address what he perceives as systematic corruption. Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Sanders's nuanced perspective was further highlighted in a recent Business Insider interview, where he acknowledged some merit in Kennedy's broader critique of societal health. "When Kennedy talks about an unhealthy society, he's right," Sanders noted, emphasizing the extraordinary levels of chronic illness in the United States. GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), continue to maintain that vaccines are safe and effective, based on extensive clinical studies and real-world data. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Wikimedia
Sanders's own concerns about public health were evident in a recent Senate hearing, where he criticized the FDA for its response to what he described as a "horrific epidemic" of obesity and diabetes in the United States. Kara Hawley/Rockford Register Star / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
