(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) CNN’s Scott Jennings shut down CNN panelists up in arms over President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services Thursday on NewsNight.
As CNN’s chyron labeled Kennedy a “vaccine skeptic,” former Republican Liet. Gov. Geoff Duncan expressed disapproval of Trump’s decision, saying Kennedy would be acceptable in an advisory role.
“There’s no managerial experience in his resume. There’s nothing that says he is qualified to do this job,” Duncan said, prompting Jennings to challenge the credentials of previous HHS secretaries.
Duncan and Jennings bickered over Kennedy’s ability to do the job.
Jennings went down the list and said sitting Secretary of HHS Xavier Becerra was “just a lawyer and a politician” before taking his cabinet position.
Scott Jennings shuts down CNN panelists melting down over Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reminding them of COVID.
“This country was drug through a bunch of condescending and heavy-handed mandates that all turned out to be garbage…”
— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) November 15, 2024
The CNN commentator further colored his argument by identifying President Barack Obama’s HHS Secretary, Sylvia Burwell, as a “Walmart lobbyist.”
“RFK Jr. is a nut,” Duncan said.
Jennings called out Duncan for just wanting to insult Trump’s pick, but acknowledged that he has the right to do so.
“I don’t know whether he could be confirmed or not. The vaccine stuff at the table is obviously going to be the flash point of this hearing,” Jennings said.
Jennings brought up American distrust in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which he attributed to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
“Public trust in the health regime of this country is as low as it’s ever been,” Jennings told CNN panelists.
Duncan shot back, “But why?”
“It’s because of COVID!” Jennings exploded. “It’s because of school closures. It’s because of mask mandates.”
CNN panelists chattered in response before Jennings finished off by saying, “Well, let me just finish. Because this country was drug through a bunch of condescending and heavy-handed mandates that all turned out to be garbage.”
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and The American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
