An influential Democratic donor is backing presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call for more debate on the COVID-19 vaccines.
In June, billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman wrote in a long Twitter post that “the experts, the government, and conventional wisdom are often wrong.”
“When you are part of the establishment, it is hard to challenge the conventional wisdom. You are incentivized not to. And when your economic livelihood can be threatened by an alternative point of view or a new innovation, you are less likely to believe it or its viability,” he said.
I have learned from experience that the experts, the government, and conventional wisdom are often wrong. ‘Inflation is transitory.” “C19 did not escape from the Wuhan lab.” “@Ukraine will fall in less than a week.” “Its not possible because it hasn’t been done before or because…
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 18, 2023
“Had we listened to the skeptics of our government’s approach to vaccination or extended lockdowns for all, rather than censoring them … many lives may have been saved with reduced negative long-term effects on the economy, the education of our children, and our citizens’ mental health,” he continued in another tweet.
A world where public health officials are mistrusted is a more dangerous world. We need to restore this trust. Trust emerges from transparency, accountability, and ultimately from positive outcomes from the policies implemented.
In the fog of the Covid war, many mistakes were…
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 20, 2023
Ackman also shared a video from Tucker Carlson and wrote that “[Kennedy] and others have raised important questions about the safety of some vaccines and have sought explanations for the dramatic increases in the incidence of childhood allergies, autism, and other health issues. These are good questions that have not been adequately answered.”
For context, I am pro-science (it is sad to say that I have to declare this upfront) and our family foundation, the @PershingSqFdn, is a major funder ( ~$100m to date with more to come) of scientific research, but something has gone really wrong with science and our country when… https://t.co/hDnaVnuOar
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 23, 2023
That stood in sharp contrast with comments Ackman made in 2021, when he said that delaying COVID-19 shots for seniors “seems like genocide.”
Kennedy has been a catalyst for the change, the Pershing Square CEO told CNBC.
“I listened to RFK on several podcasts and a town hall and thought he raised important issues about vaccines and other issues that were worth learning more about,” Ackman said.
“I don’t feel like we’ve fully answered questions about the safety of all vaccines, particularly more recently approved vaccines, and our approach to determining their safety and efficacy.”
Put aside any preconceived notions and listen to @RobertKennedyJr on vaccines for two minutes. Why is this not the right approach to vaccines? https://t.co/DbWS88ZdEa
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 25, 2023
Asked if Kennedy should be in the White House, Ackman replied, “I don’t yet know, but I think he is asking important questions and raising interesting issues that are worthy of discussion and debate.”
He would not commit to backing President Joe Biden in 2024.
“It depends on the alternatives at the time of the general election,” Ackman said. “My strong preference is that he announces now that he won’t run to create a more open field for other candidates.”
