On Tuesday the fourth death in the past month related to measles was reported in the state of Pennsylvania, an 18 year old resident, whose death came just days after a 40 year old woman, and weeks after the deaths of two infants. This has resulted in the usual media trashing of HHS Secretary RFK Jr., and Tuesday on CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront, Kennedy's sister Kerry Kennedy joined in.
Even though the infants were too young to be vaccinated, and both the 18 year old and 40 year old were unvaccinated for their entire lives, Burnett and Kennedy were more than happy to piggyback on PA Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro's criticism of RFK Jr., for the deaths.
After beginning the interview with a discussion on the indefinite shutdown of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Burnett went right after RFK Jr.
BURNETT: I want to ask you, Kerry, if I may, about one other thing. The clash between your brother, the HHS Secretary, RFK Jr., and the Democratic Governor, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, right. Shapiro says your brother shoulders some of the blame. California's, I'm sorry, Pennsylvania is reporting a fourth measles related death, which all in, were in the midst of the worst outbreak in measles in the United States in over 30 years. And vaccination rates have declined, right. That is why we are seeing this.
Shapiro has posted and I'll read it, Kerry, this serious situation continues to be made worse by RFK Jr., playing games with public health and safety. It's long past time for Secretary Kennedy to stop stoking vaccine skepticism and misinformation. To which your brother, Secretary Kennedy responds, quote, I have repeatedly stated that MMR vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles infection. Is he right? Do you think his his messaging has contributed to this?
Sis was only too happy to pile on her brother.
KENNEDY: Yeah, I think absolutely, his messaging on vaccine skepticism has 100% contributed to people not taking their vaccines.
Maybe some, but not any of the four who have died in PA, but that didn't stop Kennedy.
KENNEDY: Let me be clear. Take your vaccine to protect your children from measles, from mumps, from all sorts of different diseases, there's no reason to be sick. Just take your vaccine. That's number one. Number two, we have to stop this vaccine skepticism because it's not science based and because people are dying as a result, our children are dying. Don't let our children die because of something that's not true. Take your vaccines.
Burnett couldn't have been more pleased.
BURNETT: Yeah. It's amazing. I have so many people now just with questions, whether it's about the flu vaccine or the shingles vaccine or just so many vaccines, it has come into the ether. And there are real fears. Thank you very much. I appreciate it, Kerry.
Imagine, asking questions about, not even measles vaccines, but other less effective and newer shots, how horrible.
But the worst part about the Burnett/Kennedy pow-wow, was that it left out vital facts about the increase in measles and the decline in vaccines.
In 2020, the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, five full years before RFK Jr. assumed his position, the vaccination rate for measles started to decline. Many attribute that to the mandatory Biden era vaccine policies. In fact a CNN story from a year ago, quoting CDC stats, reported a record share of US kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination, including for measles, for the 2024-2025 school year. That school year began before RFK became head of HHS.
But none of that mattered to Burnett, who ran the session. She got what she was looking for, RFK bashing. This is CNN!
