RFK Jr. and Bernie Sanders Get Into Screaming Match Over Big Pharma
newrepublic.com
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused the Vermont senator of being in Big Pharma’s pocket.

Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused Bernie Sanders of taking millions from Big Pharma during a heated exchange, but Sanders refuted the claim, stating his donations came from workers, not corporate PACs.

Kennedy repeatedly insisted Sanders was the top recipient of pharmaceutical money in 2020, but financial data shows no corporate PAC contributions to Sanders.

Meanwhile, Kennedy has profited from anti-vaccine activism, earning millions from lawsuits and speaking fees.

The debate ended without Kennedy answering whether he would guarantee health care for all as HHS secretary.

  • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
    6·
    14 hours ago

    No it is not. Rigged implies making it impossible for the result. Like changing votes or otherwise just messing with the system like that. What was done was basically cajoling influential people. The voters could have still voted bernie in by giving him the majority of votes. Heck even trumps win is more rigged because of voter disenfranchisment and jerrry mandoring which is directly mucking with the process. Encouraging heavy hitters or influential folks to be negative about him or positive about clinton while being bs just does not fit with rigged. man its just like both sides kind of thing. its like yeah in the broadest terms, yes but folks take it way down to be like literally exactly the same and its like. no. by no means. in the details there is a massive gulf between them. details being things like no surprise billing or funding renewables and such. pretty big deal items. calling it rigged is disingenuous.

    • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
      11·
      12 hours ago

      Since you are trying to rewrite history, I’m at least going to post this here so people understand the context of why we say, with out mixed words or a lack of emphasis, that the DNC rigged the primary against bernie.

      • DNC officials secretly worked against Sanders while claiming neutrality. Emails show them strategizing ways to discredit him, including attacking his religious beliefs to hurt him in Kentucky and West Virginia.
      • The DNC colluded with major media outlets to boost Clinton and undermine Sanders. They leaked debate questions to Clinton in advance, controlled coverage, and worked with reporters to push pro-Clinton narratives.
      • Debate schedules were rigged to benefit Clinton. The DNC deliberately scheduled fewer debates and placed them at times designed to limit Sanders’ exposure.
      • DNC funding was funneled to Clinton’s campaign. The “Hillary Victory Fund” raised massive amounts of money supposedly for the party but sent it straight to Clinton while starving down-ballot candidates and Sanders of resources. This directly contributed to the growth of MAGA, since down-ballot candidates suffered so massively.
      • Sanders’ campaign was blocked from crucial voter data while Clinton’s team had full access. When a glitch in the NGP VAN database briefly allowed Sanders’ team to see Clinton’s data, the DNC punished only Sanders, locking them out.
      • The DNC chair and top officials were forced to resign after getting caught. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, CEO Amy Dacey, and CFO Brad Marshall all stepped down, but the damage was already done. The primary had already been rigged beyond repair.

      This wasn’t incompetence—it was outright election interference. The DNC didn’t just favor Clinton; they actively sabotaged Bernie Sanders while pretending to be fair. The leaks confirmed everything.

      • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
        3·
        12 hours ago

        No sources for anything and up to this point your only quoted source explains the flaws in your claim.

        Maybe hold back on commenting about this further.

      • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
        3·
        12 hours ago

        im not rewriting history I just have a problem with the term. I voted for sanders in the primary and what the party did was dick moves and shit. The reason I have a problem with terminology is see so much of slipperly slope kind of thing. This especially with politicians are the same, dems/rep same, so might as well not vote or vote for rep. and its like. yeah same but really not. this thing with sanders. its not something that could really be changed much. The funding thing gets there and I can see making the argument with it. Also the data maybe but scheduling gets some weak sauce and the rest is even less. A big question is how do you fix this in the setup of the party? I can’t see anything outside of vote for better people so that party leadership which comes out of that are better. People can donate directly to bernie instead of the party and only answer poles for bernie if they want. Now I would like to see super delegates eliminated as that is just straight out (ironically) anti democratic. Don’t get me wrong as I do get frustrated and bernie really represents what I want. To many issues that just are not worth it to me and not enough emphasis on universal healthcare and regulation and taxing those of means.