A survey by NBC that included a number of questions about the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave Kennedy a bare-bones majority favorability rating.
Fifty-one percent viewed Kennedy favorably in the survey, while 48% of respondents gave Kennedy an unfavorable rating. The breakdown on those leaning favorable included 36% as "somewhat" favorable and 15% who viewed him as "strongly" favorable.
The poll showed those who disapprove of Kennedy broke down into 28% who indicated they considered him "strongly unfavorable" and 20% as "somewhat" unfavorable.
Kennedy has been criticized for his general stances on vaccines and health policies. During May appearances before several congressional committees, he was grilled primarily by Democrats about the restructuring of Health and Human Services and his comments about the veracity of the measles vaccine in the wake of an ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S.
New questions about Kennedy's leadership have arisen following the removal of some officials from vaccine advisory roles in the department and the naming of replacements who, some say, are less supportive of the need for vaccines.
The NBC poll asked about vaccines and their value in preventing diseases. Eighty percent of those responding identified as supporting the use of vaccines. Forty-nine percent were "strongly" supportive, and 31% were "somewhat" supportive.
Only 7% of those in the survey said they were "strongly" opposed to the use of vaccines, while 13% identified as "somewhat" opposed.
Another recent survey on vaccines, this one focused on the views of older Americans, showed significant majority support for vaccines to fight against diseases such as influenza, shingles, measles-mumps-rubella and pneumonia. A lower percentage, but still a two-thirds majority, accepted the value of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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