RFK Jr.'s Policies Didn't Worsen the South Carolina Measles Outbreak, but His Views Did

On the menu today: You're going to see a lot of criticism of U.S. of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for the ongoing measles outbreak in Spartanburg County, S.C. But Kennedy was only sworn in February 13, and for most of the more than 100 South Carolinians catching measles now, their parents made their decisions about vaccinating years and years ago. Kennedy is a relatively new fan of vaccinating for measles, and this fall the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made only one minor adjustment to the recommendations on vaccinating for measles. (More on that decision below.)

With that said, vaccine skepticism didn't just come out of nowhere, and while it's possible that some people preferred to take their medical advice from the 1994 Playboy Playmate of the Year (don't worry, it's a discreet photo of Jenny McCarthy at that link), the most likely suspect for the national vaccine skepticism that is now having serious consequences in the Palmetto State starts with the HHS Secretary who, as of his confirmation hearings, did not know which one was Medicare and which one was Medicaid. Read on.