Video: CNN’s Erin Burnett Relentlessly Exaggerates RFK Jr.’s Polling; Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Explains Why RFK Jr. Is a “Fringe” Figure Making “False Assertions and Conspiratorial Claims”

Excellent job by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) – see video, below –  despite a HORRENDOUSLY BAD job by CNN’s Erin Burnett, who relentlessly pushes false information (specifically, that RFK Jr. supposedly has been polling consistently at 20% in polls of Democratic 2024 presidential primary voters) and tries to stoke fake controversy. Really appalling and irresponsible on her part.  In fact, if you look at FiveThirtyEight’s compilation of 2024 Democratic primary polling, RFK Jr. has been polling in the single digits to as high as 15%, but definitely not 20%, let alone “consistently polling around 20% in Democratic primary polls,” as Burnett just makes up out of thin air. In fact, as the WaPo explains:

YouGov has asked Democratic primary voters how they plan to vote at least three times since then. And, each time, the results have been about the same. Biden gets between 62 percent and 67 percent of the vote. Kennedy gets 8 to 12 percent. Marianne Williamson, who also ran in 2020, gets 4 to 6 percent.

Anyway, despite the HORRENDOUSLY BAD job by Erin Burnett in this interview, Rep. Connolly does a great job laying out what the problems are with RFK Jr. (e.g., the “very disturbing pattern with this particular candidate”).

• “[RFK Jr.’s] got a storied name that he is discrediting by the hour. He accused the United States actually of being responsible for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and justified Russia’s rationale for that invasion – one of the most depraved and brutal events of our time, shame on him. He has suggested that Microsoft is implanting microchips in brains. He has suggested that Covid vaccinations caused the death of one of our great sports figures, Hank Aaron. and as well as others. Now, imagine saying that to people who suffered from Covid, including the 1.1 million families in America who lost loved ones due to the pandemic. This is reckless and irresponsible rhetoric, but it’s in keeping with the kind of fringe witnesses the Republicans keep on putting in front of the committee.“
•  “I think the fact that you cite a poll where he’s doing better than expected in the double digits is attributable not to his message, it’s attributable to his last name. There are a lot of voters who see that name, remember his father. His father is a revered figure in my political life. But this isn’t his father. And as the campaign unfolds, that will become abundantly clear. Remember, his own family has discredited his campaign and his political views. They love him as a member of the family, but they have been quite outspoken in condemning these false assertions and conspiratorial claims that have no basis.”