Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does not deserve his initials, as he showed in a Senate hearing that revealed a Shakespearean streak of villainy in the health and human services secretary.

Senator after senator asked straight questions about his broken promises on vaccine policy. Two are Republican doctors who expressed deep concern about his hurting public health by denying easy COVID-19 vaccine access to pregnant women, children, and adults under 65.

Kennedy snapped at Sen. Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), "You're wrong."

That's a strange way to treat the man who saved his confirmation by one vote, after publicly wavering.

Cassidy's role in the tragedy is Hamlet, and he must regret it now. He had announced that he supported Kennedy on the condition of not changing or challenging science-based vaccine policy.

Nobody likes to be duped after making a deal.

But, as Dr. Paul Offit of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia commented, "(Kennedy) is exactly who he's been for 20 years, a virulent anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist. ... He can't bring himself to say that vaccines work."

Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a scientist. But his decisions prevent progress on the mRNA platform for vaccine research, gene therapy, chronic illnesses and cancer.

Armed with slings and arrows to an agency he runs, he called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "corrupt."

Kennedy twisted in the wind when confronted with the fact that the "Warp Speed" vaccine (developed in the first Trump term) saved millions of lives in the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, he added," I don't think anybody knows how many died from COVID."

Frustrated, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), asked, "How can you be that ignorant?"

Offit said he was encouraged by the bipartisan criticism of Kennedy. Sen. Dr. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) made clear he supports vaccines: "We can't allow public health to be undermined."

Further, Cassidy cast doubt on Kennedy replacing all 17 experts on the vaccine advisory board to the CDC. Just like that, out of a clear blue sky.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) questioned Kennedy about firing CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez for not falling in line with his new handpicked board of vaccine skeptics.

Kennedy dismissed her as "untrustworthy." Nice to slander someone, just like that.

High political drama is not normal in medical circles. Doctors like to do work, conduct research and see patients in first-class institutions like CHOP and the National Institutes of Health.

Few foresaw that Kennedy would fire thousands from and burn down the crown jewel of the medical establishment, the NIH. Just like that, in seven months. According to Offit, it will take years to rebuild.

President Donald Trump's pet cabinet star, Kennedy acted immune to congressional oversight.

It's even worse, actually. Over three hours, he smirked, rolled his eyes, looked at his phone, stared at the ceiling to signal that senators are his social underlings. He accused one of lying.

He interrupted and shouted at several lawmakers. Remember, he's RFK Jr., so he can get away with anything. And he does in his new role.

Kennedy, 71, was hardly the picture of health: his face burnt to a crisp, his voice strangled as he strained to speak. Flustered, he breathed heavily and rose to anger quickly.

Note, this man was a heroin addict and had a worm infiltrate his brain in Africa. His second wife died by suicide. His cousin Caroline Kennedy warned senators that "Bobby" is a "predator." His brother Joe Kennedy II and sister Kerry Kennedy denounced him.

A predator. The hawk nose and cold eyes fit.

The ghost of Sen. Edward Kennedy, the lion champion of health care as a right, would cut his nephew to shreds. If only he were in that room.

Tina Smith (D-Minn.) told Kennedy she was done with "your denials and your evasion and your lies."

Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) chimed in. "You are a hazard to the health of the American people," he said. "Resign."

However he spoke to the men, Kennedy acted especially ugly toward the women senators, revealing a vein in his character. "You're just making stuff up," he repeated.

Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) replied, "Sometimes, when you make an accusation, it's kind of a confession, Mr. Kennedy."

The Bard could not have written that line better.

The author may be reached at JamieStiehm.com. To find out more about Jamie Stiehm and other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, please visit creators.com.

Photo credit: Elimende Inagella at Unsplash