What can you say about RFK’s worm-eaten brain?
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. experienced a series of health issues in recent years, including an abnormality that he said was caused by a worm that entered his brain and then died, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
In 2010, Kennedy, now 70, experienced severe memory loss and mental fog, he said in a deposition two years later. According to the Times, he consulted top neurologists familiar with the medical history of his uncle, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, who had died of brain cancer in 2009. A New York doctor, after reviewing a scan of his brain, told him that his health issues could be “caused by a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died,” Kennedy said in the 2012 deposition, which concerned a divorce from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. Robert Kennedy said at the time that his earning power had been negatively affected by the cognitive issues, the Times reported.
So he said this during his divorce proceedings. Now he’s saying he’s fine.
And here’s more than you probably want to know about the brainworm situation:
But, speaking generally, [Dr.] Hotez said people with pork tapeworm infections in their brains — a condition known as neurocysticercosis — more commonly experience seizures and sometimes need to be on anti-seizure medication for a long time because when the worms die, they form a calcified cyst in the brain that can cause the brain to release inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.
The connection to memory problems and dementia is under study, Hotez said. Those symptoms are also associated with mercury poisoning, and Kennedy told the Times that at the time he was diagnosed with that ailment, he was consuming high quantities of tuna and perch.
“Yeah, the worms are not feeding the brain. They are living in the brain,” Dr. Hotez said. The worms get nutrients from the body, but they are not eating the brain tissue, he said.
I’ve never thought that RFK Jr. was playing with a full deck. But I doubt this worm thing has much to do with it.
At least Bobby had a brain to eat. The worm would starve inside Biden’s head.
One of the seemingly never ending phenomenon with the right is the fact that so many will viscerally hate some Republican politician with which they agree on about 80% of the issues but disagree on 20% yet they will then become fanboy/girl obsessed with someone that they disagree with on about 80% of the issues and agree with on about 20% of the issues.
And it’s smart people on the right doing this also. Reagan’s quote about my 90% friend not my 10% enemy (or whatever his exact number was) seems to be lost on many people.
RFK Jr. is pretty much a leftist loon who just happens to be right on a couple of issues but the love he gets from some rightish people is so damn insane.
A worm in Brandon’s brain would increase the processing power.
Regarding RFK Jr. could be worse, there is that amoeba that lives in warm freshwater lakes of the southern USA that can get into your brain, and kill you.
like the python sketch he got better,
well his fossil fuel obsession, might have been product of the brainslug, quite check every other skydragon worshiper, my concern is his condition could relapse,
if he hadn’t gotten the receipts on fauci, had he gone along with the lockdowns
do you think he would get so much heat, another heretic from the progs, naomi wolf hasn’t gotten as much of the treatment, at least recently,
as with greenwald or taibbi on any number of samizdat commentators if their insights are good, well I would take that under advisements
Griffin, I think part of your dilemma comes from the way most people feel about good character. I can absolutely like an honest person of good character even if I disagree with them on most things, if I believe they came to their opinions after careful research and are open to open honest debate. I probably wouldn’t vote for them if there were a candidate that I agree with on most issues; although I have voted against candidates that said the right things but appeared to be untrustworthy.
But anyone who declares his opinions and is open to a fair debate where he might change my mind, or me his, is alright with me. Anyone who resorts to calling people Nazis or racists, or deplorables or bitter-clingers is an asshole whom I will never like, even if I agree with 100% of their policies.
Just me.
Having said all that, I’m not sure how I’d feel about a President Vermiculture. But maybe we already have a President that “the worms ate into his brain.”
om: “A worm in Brandon’s brain would increase the processing power.” Thanks! I needed a laugh!
I believe the Reagan quote was “somebody who agrees with me 70% of the time is not my enemy.” That said, in politics as in life there are things known as “deal breakers.”
When politics in our country was played between the 40 yard lines, so to speak, the 70% rule was still tenable. But when you’re playing between your own goal line and never get past the opponent’s 40, you have no margin for error.
like fry when he ate that truck stop sandwich,
so I paused when I saw that Dr Hotez, was the authority, diagnosing the problem,
and he further mentions cytokines, the telltale trigger for covid, (Hotez had been contracted for a vaccines, and pushed lockdowns subsequently,)
I’m currently working on a post about RFJ Jr. He seems to *really be* the kind of demagogue that people accuse Trump of being.
When you mark your ballot for Bobby Jr, be inclusive by leaving a curly cue squiggle for the worm.
Regarding the Reagan quote cited above, I’m reminded of something in a kindred vein from Noo Yawk City Mayor Ed Koch, when he was campaigning for (re?)election.
Koch said, “If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, see a psychiatrist.”
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ed_koch_481302
Aaand the worm is surging:
Dead Worm In RFK Jr.’s Brain Already Polling Higher Than Biden In 11 States
Brutal
He’s on his third marriage. He has a history of drug abuse and satyriasis. One of his legacies is his 2d wife’s suicide. His public defense of one of his maternal-side cousins incorporated defaming an innocent 3d party. He’s kind of a kook to boot. Worms on the brain would be consistent with the rest.
Would Ivermectin kill a worm behind the brain barrier?
“One of the seemingly never ending phenomenon with the right is the fact that so many will viscerally hate some Republican politician with which they agree on about 80% of the issues but disagree on 20% yet they will then become fanboy/girl obsessed with someone that they disagree with on about 80% of the issues and agree with on about 20% of the issues.” — Griffin
The thing about the right side of the aisle in America is that it’s actually made up of three or four big groups, admittedly with some overlap, and several smaller ones. Some of those groups actually more or less detest each other, and have for years. The only thing that binds them together is opposition to different parts of the Democrats.
Back in the 80s, they used to talk about ‘fusionism’, but the constituent components of the American Right never fused. Many of them would actually be happier in alliance with certain factions of the Dems, but other factions of the Dems drive them away.
So sometimes when a Dem appears to be acting or sounding halfway sane, whether it’s for real or not, some desperately unhappy Republicans see false hope of a more congenial alliance. They’re almost invariably disappointed, of course.
Libertarians detest SoCons. SoCons are exasperated (at best) by libertarians. The GOP’s until-recently-dominant business wing actually agrees with the Dems on almost _everything_ except taxes and business regulations. SoCons and national-sovereignty Righties get along pretty well, but libertarians argue with both of them. The libertarians agree with the business wing on immigration and taxes, but the actual libertarians want true free market competition, while the corporations behind the business wing want government protection and monopoly (or at least oligopoly)*.
The working class white vote overlaps heavily with the SoCons and the national-sovereignty GOP, but they were Democrats until the progressive/liberal/marxists took total control of the Dems, and at heart they’re still New Dealers (as J.D. Vance correctly pointed out).
The Dems, today, are much more ideologically unified. They’ve driven out many of their dissenting groups, who have joined the GOP more or less, making it electorally competitive but ideologically riven. The ideological disputes on the Dem side are mostly whether they should travel at 25 mph, 50 mph, or put the pedal to the metal. They mostly agree on the direction of travel.
Where the Dems are riven (except for a few special case things like Israel) is between partisan power centers, often family-based. The Clintons, the Kennedys, the Ickes, the Cuomos, the Obamas, etc. They’re united on ideology but behind the scenes they struggle for control.
* As the old joke goes, no Marxist or progressive ever hated free market capitalism as much as a successful free market capitalist does. Once you’re on top, further disruption is not in your interest.
Griffin — your paradox is true, as stated. But from the pragmatic “let’s win elections” perspective that comes from the median voter paradigm, it’s not true.
The median voter theory embraces the fact that voters n the undecided middle decide most, nearly all, election outcomes.
In using it, the trick is in discovering what will move a median voter towards supporting your candidate! And conversely, against the other opposing candidate. Ad campaigns can exploit the unique “chemistry” of a ticket, to achieve positive results. Sometimes. Like the Trump-RFK, Jr ticket.
A GMU economist has written a critique of this standard poli sci election model. It’s entitled “The Myth of The Median Voter”. I have not yet read it. He may well take your paradox as his entry point.
But do you, my dear Griffin, have anything to replace the standard election model?
RFK Jr. may say some silly and questionable things, but on the topic of Covid-19 he’s been for the most part heroic, delving into areas where the powers that be would prefer—for good reason—he wouldn’t go.
His critiques on the Democratic Party are, similarly, undeniable; and the fact that “Biden” and “his” media helots are trying to stick the shiv in him can only be points in his favor. Similarly, the negative response of his family, generally—lock step with “Biden”, as perhaps should be expected—makes RFK Jr.’s decisions to buck the trend even MORE impressive, to me at least.
Does this make him Presidential material?
Not necessarily. Perhaps, but the lapses in judgement and silly pronouncements probably indicate that no, he’s not.
In event I don’t think he has a smidgeon of a chance.
BTW, the fact that Fauci pit bull, charlatan Dr. Hotez even appears in this post should raise a huge red flag.
RFK Jr. was “heroic” about the Covid vaccines in part because he’s been against all vaccines for decades. His advocacy is one of the reasons so many American mothers have refused to give their children routine non-mRNA vaccines against childhood illnesses that used to kill, and will kill again in an unprotected population.
I didn’t know that (nor had I realized that prior to the Covid-19 debacle, RFK Jr. had such tremendous national influence).
Kooky AWFL mothers listened to him. I know one or two. He convinced them that if they immunized their children they’d be autistic.
I thought that was some other guy…a doctor, I think (whose name began with an “M”?)
Wasn’t he eventually imprisoned several years back?
– – – – – – –
Anyway, as I understand it, it’s the new technology that had RFK Jr. all riled up, not the older, more established vaccinations.
(Disclaimer, I’ve been vaccinated as much as anyone, as my dad was a pediatrician—it’s just by chance that I concluded that there was something wonky about the Covid vaccine issue, this after I caught it fairly early on, had a light case of it fortunately, and then discovered—when I was trying to find out about the natural immunity issue—that the medical authorities were not being upfront about that. Other things, in addition, made me increasingly skeptical; but if I hadn’t caught that initial bout of Covid rather early on, I most likely would have done the entire vaccination bit…)
A quick search found this: https://time.com/3012797/vaccine-rfk-jr-thimerosal
RFK Jr on vaccines:
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/11/scicheck-rfk-jr-incorrectly-denies-past-remarks-on-vaccine-safety-and-effectiveness/
and on Covid and Ashkenazi Jews:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/15/politics/rfk-jr-covid-jewish-groups/index.html
Also, here’s RFK Jr on wanting to jail ‘climate skeptics”
https://twitter.com/MrFrankUS/status/1652496758717513728
Thanks, David Foster. I had forgotten about that weird comment about Ashkenazi Jewish safety from Covid. And Republicans should not forget that RFK Jr. has been vocal about “climate change.” Putting him on the Republican ticket as VP would be a preposterous move.
An attention whore.
The median voter theory embraces the fact that voters n the undecided middle decide most, nearly all, election outcomes.
In 1980, sure. Now, not so much. The people who count the ballots decide the election outcome now. Elections are being decided by how low level officials choose to process ballots in the urban precincts that are controlled by Dems, those decisions are protected from challenge by Dem judges, and Dem-controlled journalism prevents an accurate narrative from getting out.
In 2024, when the swing states go for Biden because a handful of blue urban districts record 150% – 200% turnout, and absolutely nothing of consequence happens because the courts decide there’s no standing, or it’s moot, or whatever, maybe we’ll finally get what’s going on.
“…a preposterous move…”
Indeed, since he’s not a Republican even if there are issues and opinions there that resonate with Republicans.
Come to think of it, though…DJT is not a Republican either (historically)…except that given the current bizarre times, he is now.
(For that matter, JFK—and most other former Democratic Party Cold Warriors—would, today, be more welcome in the GOP. We’re not in Kansas anymore, etc…)
– – – – – – – – – –
Personally, I think that RFK Jr.’s comment about Ashkenazi Jews was blown out of all proportion.
He shouldn’t have said it given the sensitivity of the issue (and its ability to be taken out of context); but he also mentioned “Chinese” IIRC, and perhaps another ethnic group or two. I believe he was talking about generalities rather than specifics (though I could be wrong about that, OTOH).
But as I wrote above, he has made all kinds of strange and silly statements.
Perhaps the word, therefore, is “erratic”?
How did Team Biden get hold of private divorce records. Just wondering
RFK is the kind of politician that I prefer.
His views are not focus-grouped, or poll tested.
He says what he thinks and voters can take it or leave it.
I am most definitely leaving it. I agree with very little of what he supports, but will defend his right to support these things, and to enact them if he and his allies win elections (to the extent that all is compliant with our Constitution).
There is a type of parasitic fly usually referred to as a “bot fly” that can rarely get into a human host. A common one where we used to live is the cuterebra fly which normally uses squirrels and rabbits as hosts. The eggs are picked up from grasses and are then ingested when the host animal grooms. The larvae hatch in the animals stomach, and literally eats its way out to the skin where it chews a hole through the skin, and then molts into an air-breathing form. It eats the tissue around it until mature, then chews a bigger hole and falls out. It transforms into a fly, mates, lays eggs in the grass and dies. This is NOT a joke or horror story, they’re for real.
Our in/outdoor cat got one, and it made its way into his throat where it caused a massive reaction and almost killed him, turning him blue from lack of oxygen. The vet gave him a dose of a larvacide intended for horses and cattle, carefully adjusting the dose so it wouldn’t kill the cat. In one day (24 hours) he was fine…we never did see him cough up any dead larva so he either absorbed it, swallowed it, or coughed it out when we weren’t looking.
The problem when the larva gets into an animal for which it wasn’t intended is that they tend to lose their way while trying to eat their path to the skin of the neck. If they enter the host animals brain they will literally cut paths by eating their way through the brain tissue, eventually killing the host.
These can very, very rarely get into a human host. There have been several cases of people who have had the larva in their throat causing an immune reaction who have coughed live or dead larva out. In fact, in Africa, there is a human-specific bot fly that normally hosts in human beings.
Maybe RFK, Jr had a bot fly larva in his brain. Or maybe he’s just been a completely loony-tune all of his pampered life.
“…pampered life…”
Maybe…
…but how old was he when his father was gunned down, lying—sightless eyes open, gasping for air, gurgling blood—on the scuzzed-up floor of a hotel kitchen…
…on national TV…?
What the heck is a “SoCon”? I mean, I’ve heard the term in referrence to The Southern Conference of collegiate sports, but never in politics.
As for Libertarians, I’m not even sure I would count them as part of a reliable Republican voter group anymore (if ever), or that significant a political movement at all really.
At any rate, by my estimation these days I would say the Right is probably a bit more unified than the Left. These days the divisions such as they are on the Right are mostly around things like foreign policy. But while people on the Right may have differing opinions about such things, they all agree that Biden and the Democrats have been awful on those issues (as well as pretty much everything else).
On the other hand, I would say the Left has been divided on the current Isreal/Hamas conflict as well as on things like illegal immigration.
}}} So he said this during his divorce proceedings. Now he’s saying he’s fine.
Yeah, Brandon is doing “just fine”, too. :-/
SoCons = Social Conservatives
Libertarians can’t imagine society with a moral compass (if it ain’t hurting anyone else (but don’t look too hard) it must be allowed).
So rfk is more authentically a prog then biden of course his harkonnen gang in marthas vineyard doesnt see that
Perhaps one might say of RFKjr’s worm-eaten brain this: it may make a nice image of the state of American political thought in these days.
Libertarians can’t imagine society with a moral compass
To be fair, I think it’s more that they’re against imposing punishments upon others based on moral judgements as long as they “ain’t hurting” anyone else as you say. Sort of social laissez faire. So anyone can have their own internal moral compass.
And to be clear, I’m not saying I necessarily agree with that philosophy. I think human beings need some sort of external moral framework.
Nonapod @10:44 am,
I disagree with your point that the right is less divided than the left.
Two words: Never Trump.
Amazingly those internal moral compasses tend to have a very limited range of interest (it’s all about me).
Those worms are common, or not uncommon, in some parts of the world. Bobby Jr. seems like a world travelling guy, saving the Amazon or the Himalayas and stuff like that.
Kennedy also said he had suffered mercury poisoning, and that he got it from eating tuna fish (and other seafood). He had mercury on his mind because it used to be used in vaccines. Both brain parasites and mercury poisoning can cause memory loss and brain fog, though recovery is possible from both.
We hear all this now, but what about Biden’s brain aneurysms?
Tuna fish contain methylmercury.
Some vaccines contain Thimerasol a ethylmercury molecule.
The toxicity of methylmercury and ethylmercury are not the same.
Methylmercury is extremely toxic.
Ethylmercury is not.
Tapeworms in the brain didn’t cause attention whoring.
just check all the rest of the progs for worms see if they improve, but use plenty of salt, shaihulud, imagine what’s inside Michael Moore, the mouth of the flint,
teh horror, teh horror,
the new left seems to be servants of Ares when needs must, servants of Moloch always
take russell brand, who has cracked through the cave wall, and well all his real and fake demons surface,
https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1788377084844196338
AMartel: “How did Team Biden get hold of private divorce records. Just wondering”
He got pointers from Barry. Not Barry Meislin.
Let’s face it, no one here is going to support him but we’re hoping he takes more votes from Biden than from Trump.
Also more broadly this comes up whenever we talk about someone like Taibbi/Maher/Greenwald/Dershowitz etc. We know they’re still leftists at heart. But it is nice to see cracks in the wall, after all a large part of the problem is that “nice moderate liberals” no longer push back against the hard left.
FOAF:
Greenwald is more of a libertarian than a leftist. But Dershowitz has made it pretty clear he won’t be voting for Biden, and I would call him an old-fashioned liberal rather than a leftist. I doubt he’ll vote for Trump, though.
FOAF…”Let’s face it, no one here is going to support him but we’re hoping he takes more votes from Biden than from Trump.” Certainly hope so. But I was somewhat surprised to see Bill Ackman (Pershing Square), who has said that he would not vote for Biden and was ‘open to’ voting for Trump, saying the other day that he might consider RFK Jr as an alternative.
The “personal” touch is, indeed, Obama’s M.O….