RFK Jr. Destroys the CDC and These Scientists Sound The Alarm

Summary

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IHIP News: “RFK Jr. Destroys the CDC and These Scientists Sound The Alarm”

Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Date: August 29, 2025

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Overview

In this episode, Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan dissect recent political and public health controversies surrounding Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), his antagonism toward the CDC, and the scientific community’s response. The hosts, from a progressive perspective with comedic undertones, voice alarm at what they see as a wholesale rejection of scientific expertise under RFK Jr.’s influence, especially concerning vaccines and public health policy. They highlight high-profile resignations, threats to ongoing research, and the rollback of surveillance programs—all wrapped in their signature candid, unfiltered commentary.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. RFK Jr.'s Stance on Science and Public Health

• Jennifer and Angie begin by heavily criticizing RFK Jr.'s disregard for scientific expertise and the medical field, warning that his positions will endanger American lives.
  • “RFK Jr. An environmental lawyer is going to kill Americans because he does not believe in science.” — Angie (00:05)
• The hosts play a clip in which RFK Jr. comments negatively about the observable health of children, suggesting increased chronic illness due to modern medicine.
  • “I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges with inflammation.” — RFK Jr., quoted by Angie (00:18)
• The hosts mockingly criticize RFK’s credentials:
  • “Lawyers, you could be a doctor now, Pumps.” — Jennifer (00:46)
  • “This guy is the biggest fraud and I’m telling you, Americans are going to die. There is full stop because he does not believe in expertise or, or science.” — Angie (01:14)

2. Threats to Leadership & Mass Exodus from CDC

• They reference RFK Jr.'s confrontation with CDC Director Susan Monas, who faced calls to resign after standing by scientific consensus.
  • “And the reason that he wants to fire her is because she believes in science.” — Angie (01:35)
• The hosts emphasize the gravity of scientists leaving the CDC, painting this as a uniquely American crisis:
  • “You are seeing a mass exodus from the Centers for Disease Control. That is the agency that keeps us safe.” — Angie (01:18)
• RFK Jr. is described as not just anti-vaccine but as actively undermining expertise, leading to resignations of high-ranking scientists.

3. Critique of RFK Jr.’s Comments on Autism

• The hosts are specifically outraged by RFK Jr.'s comments about autism, viewing them as deeply offensive and damaging.
  • “Not to mention the way he speaks about autism in such a demeaning and disparaging way. And what damage that is doing to the community…” — Jennifer (03:03)
• Jennifer warns of a rollback in vaccine policy and scientific research, suggesting this is part of an “authoritarian play” to replace experts with loyalists:
  • “They put in non experts, they put in dipshits. All of this is by design.” — Jennifer (03:20)
• Memorable mockery:
  • “I do know that he claimed he was a terrible student until he started taking heroin.” — Jennifer (04:13)

4. Policy Rollbacks and Loss of Scientific Talent

• The episode draws a line between RFK Jr. and Trump, accusing both of promoting anti-science policies that drive talent out of the country:
  • “This doesn't only set back people. Now in the United States, this is going to have a generational effect because the best scientists are going to other countries to continue their research.” — Angie (04:45)
• They reference Dr. Demetri’s resignation from the CDC, highlighting his criticism of the RFK Jr.-led environment:
  • “I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve public's health.” — Dr. Demetri, quoted by Angie (05:42)
• They share frustration that RFK Jr. hasn’t even been briefed by CDC scientists:
  • “And in seven months he has not been briefed on the science by the cdc.” — Angie quoting Dr. Demetri (06:52)

5. Attacks on Social Progress and Public Health Surveillance

• Angie points out the right-wing backlash to Dr. Demetri’s use of pronouns:
  • “They would rather people die than tolerate a pronoun.” — Angie (08:17)
• Focus on the scaling back of foodborne illness surveillance by the CDC, as highlighted by Senator Blumenthal:
  • “CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses… Without early detection and intervention more people will get seriously sick and die.” — Angie paraphrasing Blumenthal (08:51)

6. Debate Over Darwinism and Survival of the Fittest

• Angie and Jennifer debate whether current anti-science policies resemble “Darwinism” or something altogether different:
  • “I don't think I can say that it's Darwinian... This is dipshit ism.” — Jennifer (09:37)
  • “My point… is it’s the survival of the fittest. If you get sick and die, that's fine. We don't want sick people, we don't want poor people.” — Angie (10:50)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On expertise:
  “R.F. Kennedy Jr. is not a doctor. He is not a scientist. And he is firing scientists because they do not believe in his conspiracy theorists.” — Angie (01:54)
• On public health risks:
  “He is a prolific anti-vaxxer. Vaccines have saved millions and millions of lives worldwide... this is an authoritarian play.” — Jennifer (03:20)
• On scientific integrity:
  “If I need medical advice, just on those three statements alone, I’m going to say, oh, and you’re a lawyer. On top of that, I think I’ll stick to the scientific and medical community to treat my problems.” — Jennifer (04:31)
• On anti-science backlash:
  “They would rather people die of diseases and lack of prevention than pronouns. It's absolutely mind boggling.” — Angie (08:24)
• On dismantling CDC programs:
  “Where a key CDC program will no longer be monitoring monitoring for listeria and other foodborne illnesses. Without early detection and intervention more people will get seriously sick and die.” — Angie paraphrasing Blumenthal (08:55)
• On the state of American science:
  “This is dipshit ism even compare this to any sort of scientific method or proven scientific fact... I’ve got an idea. I’m an attorney and I’m going to start giving medical advice…” — Jennifer (09:44)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• RFK Jr.’s "airport diagnosis" & hosts’ reaction: 00:18 – 01:14
• RFK Jr. vs. the CDC and Director Monas: 01:14 – 02:54
• Demeaning comments on autism & anti-vaccine stance: 03:03 – 04:31
• Impact on research and Dr. Demetri’s resignation: 04:45 – 07:00
• Backlash to pronouns & foodborne illness surveillance rollback: 08:17 – 08:55
• “Darwinism vs. dipshitism” exchange: 09:37 – 10:50

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Tone and Style

The episode is openly opinionated, with frequent humor, sarcasm, and exasperation—typical of Jennifer and Angie’s blunt progressive style. They blend serious warnings with comedic asides, vivid metaphors, and colorful language as they foreshadow the consequences they believe will follow from a disregard of science in public leadership.

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Summary takeaway:
Jennifer and Angie issue a passionate, satirical alarm over RFK Jr.’s impact on US science and public health policy, viewing his actions as a dangerous, anti-science shift with grave, long-term consequences. Their rundown blends earnest concern, sharp critique, and irreverent humor, intended both to inform and to rally their like-minded audience.

Transcript

[A]

Rfk Jr. An environmental lawyer is going to kill Americans because he does not believe in science. He is running around. Just listen to what he said.

[B]

Oh, what a healthy child is supposed to look like. I'm looking at kids as I walk through the airports today, as I walk down the street and I see these kids that are just overburdened with mitochondrial challenges with inflammation. You can tell from their faces, from their body movements and from their, their lack of social connection. And I know that that's not how our children are supposed to look.

[C]

Let me ask something, Pumps. What does he think when he sees kinks in his hand and his puffy eyes and the muffin top kinks and the diaper? I've heard it stinks. What in his law, I guess now lawyers you could be a doctor now. Pumps. Wonder how he views that. Because I'm not a doctor and I see that and I think, oh my God, we've got a 911 situation here. This guy looks like he's about to drop dead.

[A]

Well, you know what RFK said to Trump? He was in such great health he didn't have to do the challenge because he's such a great golfer. This guy is the biggest fraud and I'm telling you, Americans are going to die. There is full stop because he does not believe in expertise or, or science. And you are seeing a mass exodus from the Centers for Disease Control. That is the agency that keeps us safe. Let's put this up. We have in an New York Times in an extraordinary turn, Susan Monas, the CDC director said she would not resign after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says she must quit or be fired. And the reason that he wants to fire her is because she believes in science. So let me just, let me just state this in the simplest terms that you can. An agency that has been devoted the help the health Secretary of Health and Human Services is dedicated to science and keeping America safe through science. R.F. kennedy Jr. Is not a doctor. He is not a scientist. And he is firing scientists because they do not believe in his conspiracy theorists. He does not believe in vaccines. And so he people are quitting because if you are a scientist and you're devoted to medicine and making people better, when some says he can walk through the airport and diagnose what's wrong with kids, it's witch doctor shit. I mean it is witch doctor all day long. I cannot believe this is happening in the United States of America.

[C]

Not to mention the way he speaks about autism in such a demeaning and disparaging way. And what damage that is doing to the community of people that have autism. So that is something, the attack on people that have autism is something that's really breathtaking to me. And then stopping any form of real scientific exploration into this. And I think what's going to be next, you guys, is he is going to start banning vaccines. That is going to be the next stage of this. He is a prolific anti vaxxer. Vaccines have saved millions and millions of lives worldwide wide. And but this is an authoritarian play. They put in non experts, they put in dipshits. All of this is by design. And so RFK and Donald Trump, when I see the two of them, I think, God, they don't look good, they don't look very healthy. And they're lecturing everybody on health and fitness and wellness and all of these things. And it's a grift. I don't know what RFK Jr. S deal is, but I do know that I've seen footage of him talking about staging a bear homicide in Central Park. I do know he cut off a whale's head and drove it somewhere. I do know that he claimed he was a terrible student until he started taking heroin.

[A]

Heroin.

[C]

So for me as a layman, if I need medical advice, just on those three statements alone, I'm going to say, oh, and you're a lawyer. On top of that, I think I'll stick to the scientific and medical community to treat my problems.

[A]

And the problem with this is, I mean, he's already saying you cannot get a COVID vaccine unless you have certain underlying conditions and you're of a certain age. He believes in this herd immunity thing with measles, mumps, rubella, all of those things. So I 100% agree. But this doesn't only set back people. Now in the United States, this is going to have a generational effect because the best scientists are going to other countries to continue their research. So you have Trump shutting down all research with different universities that are state of the art and so far ahead of other countries. They are now shutting down the funding and RFK is saying, oh, we don't believe in science. We believe in the eye test. So another person that left the CDC is Dr. Demetri. He is in charge of immunology and respiratory illnesses. And I just, he made a really long resignation post. But I thought there were a couple things that were. It's super long, so skip over to the next slide for me, Kylie. I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve public's health. Now what does that tell you? It's like this Darwinian thing, like we have all these super Christians. But to me it seems like RFK is wanting the survival of the fittest and naturally that's going to be all white rich men that can do that. But you know, it's not looking good for Trump. And then go to the next one. And I just want to point this one out. I have always been the first to challenge science and public health in my career and was excited for the opportunity to do it again. Skipping forward, at a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary and appropriately briefed and inquisitive secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him that it should not be considered a source for accurate information and in seven months he has not been briefed on the science by the cdc.

[C]

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[A]

And one thing I just wanted to add is that this made me so mad. Talk about missing the point. Dr. Demetri post this on Twitter the responses because he has he him his the right wing manosphere start saying well we told you all we need to know about that and I just thought you would rather people die than tolerate a pronoun. That's how far off the Mark, they are. They would rather people die of diseases and lack of prevention than pronouns. It's absolutely mind boggling. But then we have another big move from RFK Jr. And this is Senator Blumenthal and he highlights the CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses. And Senator Blumenthal says remember the Boris had listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and made 60/ill where a key CDC program will no longer be monitoring monitoring for listeria and other foodborne illnesses. Without early detection and intervention more people will get seriously sick and die. We're talking about E. Coli, all of the things that make people sick and infect them. It's, it's just unbelievable that it's Darwinian to me. It really is.

[C]

I, I don't think I can say that it's Darwinian because that is something that has been established within the scientific community. Darwinism has been studied. Darwinism has been fact checked, data checked, peer reviewed, etc. This is dipshit ism even compare this to any sort of scientific method or proven scientific fact where people that are like geek out on reading stuff, doing exams, they are saying prove my hypothesis wrong, prove me wrong. We're dying to get to the truth. To even compare Charles Darwin or Darwin Darwinism to this dipshits and lack of expertise and lack of study. And I've got an idea. I'm an attorney and I'm going to start giving medical advice is as a person who, who likes the work of Charles Darwin. I can't even make that link because this is the majority of the MAGA people that at least I saw it January6 it looks to me like, you know, these people are not super fit and health trickles down and if you look at kinks all the way down, this is not looking very good.

[A]

So my point on that is, and I agree with you on Darwin, but I'm just saying it's the survival of the fittest. If you get sick and die, that's fine. We don't want sick people, we don't want poor people. We only want the strong to survive in that. That's where I see it. So please like this video, subscribe to our channel and we will be back with more news.