In an unanticipated turn of events, a press dinner campaign event for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democratic presidential candidate, transformed into an unpleasant scenario.
When the topic of climate change came up, it triggered a heated exchange between two guests.
The guests involved in the altercation, Doug Dechert and Anthony Haden-Guest, exchanged a volley of verbal tirades, culminating in a display of disruptive behavior, as first reported in the New York Post.
The dinner was intended as a platform for Kennedy to promote several political platform points and to provide an opportunity for the press to ask questions. However, when a question was posed to Kennedy about the environment, it ignited a volatile debate between Dechert, the host of the event, and another guest, Haden-Guest.
Kennedy does not support the largely Democratic-spurred climate change narrative.
Fox News reported the unpleasant exchange began after Kennedy, who founded the conservationist group Waterkeeper Alliance, was asked a question about climate and the environment.
Taking a stand against the widely accepted climate change narrative, Dechert vociferously labeled climate change a “hoax.”
His statement was met with strong opposition from Haden-Guest, who, rather than refute the statement with stats or evidence, responded by calling Dechert “insane” and “insignificant.”
Page Six reported that Haden-Guest called Dechert a “miserable blob” and implored him to “shut up.”
The clash of views devolved to an unexpected level when Dechert’s argument included flatulence and him yelling, “I’m farting!”
Mediaite reported that other attendees of the event were stunned by the shocking sequence of events. Despite the chaos, Kennedy maintained his composure and chose to remain silent as the spectacle unfolded.
Later, Dechert expressed regret for his behavior, saying, “It was a spontaneous statement of what I thought of the discussion,” and admitted that it was a “thoughtless” act on his part.
Haden-Guest didn’t hold back on his criticism of Dechert’s stance on the issue, pointing out the severity and urgency of climate change. He maintained that his fellow dinner guest was not doing any justice to the cause by dismissing it as a “hoax.”
The unusual incident at this press dinner is indicative of the sharp divide and conflicting viewpoints on the topic of climate change.