Don’t freak out …
The recent poll showing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, garnering 14% of 2020 Biden voters certainly seems pretty bad. Does the Democratic electorate now include a sizable anti-science contingent?
Not necessarily.
Yes, there have been effective challenges to incumbent presidents in the past. And yes, numerous challengers have defeated early presidential front-runners. Those movements shouldn’t be underestimated. But Kennedy’s early numbers probably have a lot more to do with name recognition than policy. His family is still beloved by many in the Democratic electorate, even though most people would never recognize him on the street.
Digging a little deeper, this doesn’t feel like a movement for Robert Kennedy Jr. It feels like an ask for something else. That sentiment, of course, is far from ideal for President Joe Biden. But it also means America’s vaccines are probably still safe.
A story you should be following: States denying emergency abortions
This week, the federal government released the findings of an investigation centering on two hospitals that may have violated the law by denying one patient's emergency abortion. According to documents reviewed by the Associated Press, Missouri resident Mylissa Farmer was only 17 weeks pregnant when her water broke. Even though doctors told Farmer that her fetus would not survive, and that her own health was at serious risk, she was forced to travel to a third hospital in Illinois to terminate her pregnancy.
Unfortunately, we have seen similar scenarios play out across the country. In Texas, five women who say they were denied abortions when their lives were at risk are suing the state. One of those women, Amanda Zurawski, says she was not provided an abortion until she developed serious symptoms of sepsis.
Stories like these are becoming all too familiar. Medical providers are having to weigh state laws that ban or restrict access to abortion against federal law that mandates doctors must treat patients in emergency situations.
But for the first time this week, we saw the Justice Department use its investigatory power to challenge the actions of these medical providers. I will be watching to see how such challenges affect the ongoing threat to women’s rights and women’s health care.
Someone you should know: Gabe Gutierrez
Someone that I’ll be following closely is NBC News national correspondent Gabe Gutierrez, who has been on the ground in El Paso, Texas, this week ahead of the Biden administration sending 1,500 active-duty troops to the border.
Gutierrez has reported extensively on the border crisis, including during the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” and “Zero Tolerance” immigration policies.
With the Title 42 deadline fast approaching, you can follow him on Twitter @gabegutierrez.
Luke Russert’s weekend routine:
What show are you bingeing on right now?
When the TV is on, it’s usually sports. And now that’s the NBA playoffs. Recently, I’ve also gotten into “The Diplomat” on Netflix. While the plot is a tad far-fetched, the show is so wonderfully cast — every main character is dynamic and memorable.
What’s the last book you read?
“You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham that Changed America,” by Paul Kix. It’s well-researched and a very gripping read about the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and its campaign to end segregation in Birmingham in 1963.
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
I’d set the over/under at 9:30 a.m. This can be influenced by the previous evening (I’m a night owl) and/or the needs of the pug.
How do you take your coffee?
Black. But I’m an oddball who brews a large pot of black dark roast Colombian coffee, drinks one cup, then puts the rest in the fridge and periodically drinks it cold the rest of the day out of the glass storage bottle. Rinse and repeat.
Luke Russert’s debut memoir “Look for Me There” is out now.