The New York Times – The stumbling performance by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick to serve as health secretary, at his first confirmation hearing on Wednesday did not appear to have an immediate bearing on his chances of being confirmed, with no Republican yet publicly voicing any opposition.
Like all nominees, Mr. Kennedy can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats are united in their opposition to him. It is also not clear whether Democrats will unanimously oppose him.
Senator John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, met with Mr. Kennedy and has said that he is not reflexively opposed to his nomination.
Some Republicans have said they have questions or harbor reservations about Mr. Kennedy’s position on abortion and his opposition to vaccines. But the confirmation of Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, underscored that at the dawn of the Trump era, questions and reservations from G.O.P. senators sometimes give way to a “yes” vote in the end.
As is the case with all of Mr. Trump’s more baggage-laden nominees, Mr. Kennedy’s fate likely sits in the hands of a small group of Republicans who have shown some willingness to break with the president in the past, or who have made noise about wanting to demonstrate independence in the future.
Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, two of the last center-leaning Republicans in the Senate, have proven to be the only ones willing to regularly break with the party.
They both voted to convict Mr. Trump during his second impeachment trial and they both voted against the confirmation of Mr. Hegseth. They are also the only two Republican senators who support reproductive rights.
During the hearing, Mr. Kennedy, who supported abortion rights during his presidential campaign but has changed his position on abortion …
