I didn’t watch the hearings today for Robert Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to be head of Health and Human Services for the country—yes, the entire country, every citizen of the United States of America.
What I did do is go back and watch some of the excerpts that the media—the mass media—chose to show.
I’m in marketing and strategy. This is not rocket science.
I will hold up to you the impeachment hearings that were done around January 6, which were run by Jamie Raskin, who had just lost his son and, two weeks later, was leading the team.
Now, in my opinion, they had a plan. The goal? Of course, it was to get him impeached successfully. Out of office. But they knew it was a long shot. The secondary goal? To make sure that there was a clear, factual, well-laid-out review of what actually happened and who was involved—for future historians. 100 years from now, there would be a place they could go to see what actually transpired on January 6, so history couldn’t be rewritten by those who might take over—which, in fact, has happened.
I noticed that each day, the members of the committee got up, and each one talked about something specific and different. It was clear that it was a coordinated effort, where everybody had a chance to present, but there was a point to what they were presenting that added up to the conclusions each day. God, it was beautiful.
I show you this as the way to get the job done. Back to the Kennedy confirmation.
Let’s take Bernie Sanders. Seriously? He put up pictures of little onesies that say something like No Vax, No Problem on them. He demanded that Robert Kennedy Jr. make the company he founded take those onesies off the market if he was confirmed.
His goal today? To be the soundbite all over the social media and mass media coverage? Done. He is everywhere. Robert Kennedy Jr. must be so relieved. Nailed it.
I’m a serious human. You really can’t make this up. I’m sure I don’t need to lay it out for you. Bernie Sanders, sure enough, got all kinds of social media play because who doesn’t want to see a visual laid with a onesie on it? Did that make anyone quake in their boots that they might get in trouble for voting for Kennedy? Not even the babies wearing the onesies would think that would make a difference.
And by the way, Bernie Sanders has been in the Senate for how many years now? And has he passed any legislation? Ever? I looked it up last year.
“Throughout his tenure in Congress, which began in 1991, Senator Bernie Sanders has sponsored a significant number of bills. However, only a few have been enacted into law. Notably, two of these laws were to rename post offices in Vermont. This track record indicates that a very small percentage of the legislation he has sponsored has successfully passed through the Senate and been signed into law.” AI
Why is he still there? Why hasn’t the media accurately reported that this man has been all talk since the day he walked into office? But he’s walking out a hell of a lot wealthier than when he walked in. Strange how that works. But again I digress. Back to Kennedy.
There wasn’t anyone who got the job done. And there certainly wasn’t anyone coordinating the job that needed to get done with a clear vision of what the goal was.
In my opinion—and at this moment, not even a humble one—it should’ve gone like this:
Before the hearings, there should’ve been a press conference with the Democrats on the committee. They should’ve shown a video and talked through the 51-second talking points that Caroline Kennedy made last night. They should’ve said: “Our job today is to make sure the American people hold accountable anyone who would vote for this man to be in charge of anyone’s health. None of us will vote for him. Not one Democrat that we know of will vote for him. The question is: Are the Republicans so frightened that they will vote for him, thinking that maybe it won’t come back to haunt them? And most likely, by the way, it won’t. But make no mistake—if Bobby Kennedy is confirmed today, it is a terrible tarnish on this country’s politics and how they view the health of the American population. Make no mistake.”
Then, instead of taking 20 seconds, each one of them reading some statement or other that he then disputes, there should’ve been a 25-second video before each of the Democratic senators spoke. It should be the actual video of what Kennedy says, and each one should be a different topic.
One senator should’ve addressed vaccines. Another senator should’ve addressed his lack of character. Another senator should’ve addressed—again, with the video, perhaps 40 seconds—who has held the position in the past and what they’ve done. Then, he should’ve been asked questions that he should know the answers to, and when he doesn’t, it should be clear that he shouldn’t be in that role.
His not being able to answer the questions should have been put into a forty second clip released to the press during the hearing.
Another senator should have addressed people who have worked with him who say he should not hold office.
It should’ve ended with the Kennedy family members who spoke out during his run for the presidency, as well as some of the things he said during that run. And it should’ve ended with the Democratic chair saying: Who among you will stand up and do the right thing? Every American who watched these hearings today knows what it is—and so do you.
This was a debacle today. Disgraceful. If the Democrats could not get their shit together, they should step down, and my friends and I will go replace them.
I am so tired of this. Aren’t you?
I’m writing this because I have a close friend. She’s much better read than I am on all these things, and she’s a fast talker like I am. We hadn’t talked in a month, and we got on the phone for an hour and went over some of this. I kept trying to explain to her why I’ve walked away from the Washington aspect of what’s happening in America.
Her comments helped me realize that if we continue to let the Democratic leadership of this country go forward the way they are, then shame on us.
Bernie Sanders, you need to apologize to the American people. This was about grandstanding and getting your name on the screen. This was about views. This wasn’t about making it more and more difficult with every speaker for this man—this pathetic man—to be confirmed.
Other than that, I have no opinion on what happened today.
Namaste.
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Your friend is right, we NEED you and your thoughtful insights. You have an incredible ability to step back, look at the picture, and REALLY see what's going on. And where the F_CK is Schumer in all of this?? Democrats DESPERATELY need a leader!
It’s disgusting and disgraceful.