Kennedy's Despicable Wink

An anti-vaccine lunatic opened fire on the CDC campus in Atlanta last Friday, killing a policeman and breaking about 150 windows, including some designed to be blast-resistant.

His excuse sounds like it came straight from Bobby Kennedy's mouth, as he "blamed the Covid-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal."

Kennedy's response amounts to a wink:

"No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others," Kennedy said in a post to social media. "We honor their service. We stand with them. And we remain united in our mission to protect and improve the health of every American." [bold added]

As former Surgeon General Jerome Adams -- who served under the first Trump Administration -- notes, that mealy-mouthed response comes from the same person who condemned the agency he now heads:

But Adams said that Kennedy's own rhetoric about the CDC -- including his description of the agency as a "cesspool of corruption" -- may have played a role in influencing the shooter's actions.

"He made this statement just last year," Adams said. "And he still has not unequivocally condemned the violence. He said no one should be harmed while working to protect the public. There's an out there, Margaret. If you don't believe that people are working to protect the public, then that means it's OK to commit violence, at least in some people's eyes." [bold added]

Given the kinds of nuts this Administration appeals to, condones, and coddles -- exemplified by the blanket pardons of the January 2021 insurrectionists (which included people who attacked police officers) -- Kennedy's past remarks border on incitement.

His current response amounts to a doubling-down on the same.

He might as well have thanked the shooter.

-- CAV