Some of the responses I've seen to this piece are themselves the argument for why it needed to be written.

Before reacting to who Matt sat down with, I'd ask: what are our actual goals right now? If the goal is to feel righteous and validated, the angry response makes sense. But if the goal is to protect vaccines, rebuild public trust, and have any influence over what happens next, we need to think harder about what actually works in 2026.

The landscape has shifted in ways that are painful. We don't have the institutional leverage we once did. The people we most need to reach aren't moved by our frustration (quite the opposite), and they're not watching us debate each other. They're watching MAHA welcome them as people while we signal that only the already-converted are welcome in our tent.Bridge-building isn't naivety. It's strategy. And right now it may be the only one we have. Read this piece!