Republican strategist Doug Heye apologized Tuesday for making a “joke” about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s voice.
On CNN, the former RNC communications director referred to comments he had made last week about Kennedy, who has spasmodic dysphonia.
“Last week I was on this network and I made a joke about the way he speaks, which is totally out of bounds and just wanted to acknowledge that and apologize for it,” Heye said. “His ideas? Totally in bounds.”
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On last Friday’s edition of CNN News Central, Heye said about Kennedy: “One, you can’t understand what he says. Two, if you can, you can’t understand what he says.”
Kennedy’s condition is neurological. It causes involuntary spasms of the muscles that move vocal chords, resulting in a shaky-sounding voice.
In speaking to the Los Angeles Times about it in April, Kennedy explained, “My voice doesn’t really get tired. It just sounds terrible. But the injury is neurological, so actually the more I use the voice the stronger it tends to get.”
Kennedy, after abandoning his independent presidential bid, is now not only supporting Donald Trump but is a member of the former president’s transition team, alongside former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
