[guest post by Dana]

The hits just keep coming:

I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024

This is going to be a tough one for Republican pro-lifers who believed that they were voting for the pro-life candidate. Consider Kennedy’s latest comments on abortion:

*Do you support a federal ban on abortion?

No. “Mr. Kennedy supports a woman’s right to choose. He believes the issue of late-term abortions is being used to artificially divide the American public. Practically speaking, these are exceedingly rare, and almost always done in situations of medical emergency. While they are both tragic and disturbing, Mr. Kennedy believes it is not up to the government to intervene in these difficult medical and moral choices. That should be left up to the woman and her doctor,” Kennedy’s campaign said in an email. He backtracked on a statement made in August 2023 suggesting he supported a 15-week federal abortion ban.

*At what point in a pregnancy do you believe abortion should be banned? At all points? At 6 weeks gestation? 15 weeks? Some other time?

In August 2023, Kennedy suggested he would support a 15-week federal ban, saying, “I think the states have a right to protect a child once the child becomes viable, and that right, it increases.” He later disavowed that standard, with his campaign saying in an email: “Mr. Kennedy supports a woman’s right to choose.”

*Do you support exceptions to abortion bans in cases of rape, incest, threat to the life of the mother and/or health of the mother? If not, do you support any exceptions?

Yes. Kennedy says on his campaign website, “abortion is a tragedy but I don’t trust the government to make these decisions for Americans. I’m for choice and medical freedom.” He supports codifying Roe v. Wade, which established a fundamental right to abortion.

*Should the FDA approval of mifepristone be revoked? How, if at all, would you seek to restrict abortion pills flowing into states where abortion is illegal?

No. Kennedy supports the FDA approval of abortion medication mifepristone, his campaign said in an email.

And more from Kennedy:

Kennedy’s baseless claims have included that Wi-Fi causes cancer and “leaky brain”; that school shootings are attributable to antidepressants; that chemicals in water can lead to children becoming transgender; and that AIDS may not be caused by HIV. He’s also long said that vaccines cause autism and fail to protect people from diseases.

No one should be surprised by Trump’s selection of individuals to head up various agencies. Given everything we have seen Trump say and do over the past 10 years, he is doing exactly what we should expect him to do. This is who is and always has been. If you’re shocked, then you haven’t been paying attention.

—Dana