Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has emerged as a central figure in the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee for health and human services secretary.

Alexandra Sifferlin, a health and science editor for Times Opinion, hosted an online conversation on Wednesday with the Opinion columnist Zeynep Tufekci and the Opinion writers David Wallace-Wells and Jessica Grose about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first of two confirmation hearings for secretary of health and human services.

The issue isn’t only his troubling views but whether a complex federal agency can function effectively under his leadership.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to be the nation’s top health official is uncertain after a key Republican joined Democrats to raise persistent concerns over the nominee’s deep skepticism of routine childhood vaccinations that prevent deadly diseases.

Mr. Kennedy appears to have most Republicans behind him as he seeks the job of health secretary, though he couldn’t escape his past stances on vaccines and abortion.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wasn’t antivaccine as senators pressed on his past remarks, in the first of two days of hearings over his nomination for health secretary.

During a crisis, the news media and voting public will judge the actions of those who hold or aspire to office.

A crisis is a terrible thing to waste,” Stanford economist Paul Romer said at a venture capital seminar 21 years ago, referring to the increasing levels of education in other countries that would

During a crisis, the news media and voting public will judge the actions of those who hold or aspire to office.

Crises — either real or merely perceived — can make or break political careers as news media and the voting public judge how those who hold or aspire to office respond.

A crisis is a terrible thing to waste,” Stanford economist Paul Romer said at a venture capital seminar 21 years ago, referring to the increasing levels of education in other countries that would

The Kennedy family spans more than five generations and includes many famous members. Here’s everything to know about the Kennedy family tree.