What started out as a back-and-forth on social media turned into a viral news story that had the media in a total panic.
Recently, podcast host, comedian, and UFC commentator Joe Rogan invited Roberty Kennedy Jr., a Democrat party candidate for president on his podcast.
During a large portion of the podcast, RFK discussed vaccines and how he became involved in medical advocacy.
Part of the discussion surrounded the efficacy of the COVID vaccine which triggered Dr. Peter Hotez, dean at the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
You may remember him, he wanted those who didn’t get the vaccine jailed at one point.
On Saturday, Hotez tweeted a link to a Vice article, “Spotify Has Stopped Even Sort of Trying to Stem Joe Rogan’s Vaccine Misinformation,” tagging the author and saying the report was “really true” and “just awful.”
Rogan, who usually doesn’t get into social media fights responded on his social media account basically telling Hotez to put up or shut up.
“Peter, if you claim what RFKjr is saying is ‘misinformation’ I am offering you $100,000.00 to the charity of your choice if you’re willing to debate him on my show with no time limit,” Rogan said.
“Peter. Let’s finally have the respectful, congenial, informative debate that the American people deserve,” Kennedy said in a reply.
In a quote tweet response to Rogan, Hotez said, “Joe, you have my cell, my email, I’m always willing to speak with you.”
Rogan hit back.
“I challenged you publicly because you publicly quote tweeted and agreed with that dogs*** vice article,” Rogan added. “If you’re really serious about what you stand for, you now have a massive opportunity for a debate that will reach the largest audience a discussion like this has ever had. If you think someone else is better qualified, suggest that person.”
Joe if you are serious about addressing vaccines + the fact that 200,000 unvaccinated Americans needlessly perished during our awful delta/BA.1 Covid waves (including 40,000 in our state of Texas) because they fell victims to vaccine disinformation: I want to have that discussion,” Hotez said.
“And I’m open to a number of different options, but to be pressured to give you an answer on Twitter, now, with a ‘take it or leave it’ demand that’s not how I work. Honestly, I don’t even think that would be in your best interests,” Hotez added. “I’m happy to come on and have a meaningful discussion. I respect you and your show and I don’t want an adversarial relationship. I think we can make some progress.”
Rogan didn’t back down. “Again, I’m going to ask you very clearly, are you willing to debate [Kennedy] on my podcast?” he asked.
“To those misunderstanding what he’s saying, he’s NOT agreeing to debate [Kennedy],” Rogan clarified in another tweet. “He’s just offering to come on my show by himself.”
Keep in mind Rogan hosts the largest podcast in the world.
Then Elon Musk jumped in and suggested that Hotez was “afraid of a public debate, because he knows he’s wrong.”
“Seriously Elon? This is monstrous. 200,000 Americans needlessly perished (including 40,000 Texans, our neighbors) because they were victims of antivaccine disinformation during our awful Covid delta/BA.1 waves in 2021-22. Please don’t do this…” he said in response to Musk.
“Let’s remember what this is about, not a small number of Americans lost their lives from antivaccine disinformation during the pandemic. 200,000 Americans perished, 40,000 from my State of Texas I have nothing personal vs Joe, Elon, RFK Jr. Just hoping to halt more destruction,” he said. “Not easy to respond when those 3 gang up and tag team. Wish I could be more eloquent and clever when the moment demands, but there you are..”
When the dust cleared Hotez looked really bad and that had the media in a panic.
They tried to circle the wagons, but it made everything even worse.
.@mehdirhasan: “[RFK] is the one being celebrated by tech billionaires like Musk and Jack Dorsey while you’re being smeared and defamed … I don’t think these debates between experts and cranks do anything other than elevate the cranks.” https://t.co/YDafes3R7c
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 19, 2023
MSNBC host Medhi Hasan encourages Peter Hotez to NOT debate @RobertKennedyJr and laments that @elonmusk is encouraging it.
He compares those on RFK Jr’s side to holocaust deniers.
Hotez agrees: “In science, we don’t typically do debates.” pic.twitter.com/tYHlG2bZr2
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 19, 2023
Remember all the way back to 2021?
I’m old enough to remember when @peterhotez said people who disagreed with him about vaccines should be prosecuted under federal hate crimes laws.
It was 2021. Oh, and last year too. pic.twitter.com/GC2uiWO8Ya
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) June 18, 2023
Remember this?
The Great Double-Talking Vaccine Scientist pic.twitter.com/CKz5i1OOPy
— Matt Orfalea (@0rf) June 14, 2023
