Senate Committee Hearing Reactions: Senator Roger Marshall's weird football metaphor, Senator Susan Collin's "concern," Senator Rand Paul's outburst, and more...
Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson react to the September 17th Senate Committee Hearing with former CDC Director Susan Monarez
Former CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, testified in a Senate Committee Hearing on September 17th to warn U.S. Senators and the American people that RFK Jr. is endangering public health. Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson tuned in to offer their reactions to some of the biggest moments during the hearing.
Dr. Susan Monarez tells the Senate, “I could have kept the office, the title, but I would have lost the one thing that cannot be replaced: my integrity.”
Miles: That does not sound like someone who just told Robert Kennedy that she was a liar.
Rob: How refreshing to see somebody in a very powerful position is being pressured to do something completely antithetical to her oath as a physician, her oath as a public servant, and willing to step away from it.
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by NBC News.
Senator Bernie Sanders: “How did Dr. Monarez go from being a public expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials who had the full confidence of Secretary Kennedy, into being a liar and untrustworthy in less than a month?”
Rob: Feels like Trump's playbook from the first term, right? Only the best people, I think we remember that quote over and over from Trump version one. And, then the best people, when they wouldn't go along with the predetermined agenda, they were fired, and they were called stupid.
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by PBS News.
Senator Roger Marshall compares Dr. Susan Monarez to a football coach: “You’re not the right person for this job.”
Miles: So in this case, Robert Kennedy is the general manager of the football team, and he would like Susan Monarez to try to win football games without a front line. Does that seem about right?
Rob: What could go wrong? That makes no sense… And this guy's a doctor.
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by NBC News.
Dr. Susan Monarez’s response to Sen. Susan Collins, “If…you're willing to sign off on decisions that are not made with the best available data and evidence, it does put at risk our children.”
Rob: Senator Collins' concern historically seems contrived. But, I think what she said is so important, especially in this administration. Political hacks making decisions on anything related to nuanced, data-driven medical information, vaccines, or what have you, seems like a real problem, right?
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by NBC News.
Senator Bernie Sanders: “It is absurd to have to say this in the year 2025. Vaccines are safe and effective.”
Miles: Wild that were debating it in Congress right now.
Rob: It's insane that Senator Sanders has to use some of his time to actually say that. Those of us who do this for a living have accepted that. That's just true.
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by NBC News.
Senator Rand Paul, during his outburst: “You wouldn’t fire the people who are saying we have to vaccinate our kids at 6 months of age.”
Rob: He's lecturing Dr. Monarez on childhood vaccine schedules and is appalled that she would suggest that they adhere to a kind of science that actually worked.
Miles: It's to appeal to folks who have a problem with, I believe, the Hepatitis B vaccine being administered at a young age, which I believe is pretty well-worn in science.
Videos of Senate Committee Hearing were originally recorded by NBC News.