Bulwark Takes – RFK Jr. Picks a Fight With Dunkin’—And New England Isn’t Having It

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Date: March 5, 2026
Hosts: Sam Stein, JVL, Catherine

Episode Overview

This lively episode of Bulwark Takes explores the recent controversy sparked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s public questioning of the safety of sugary iced coffees at Dunkin’ and Starbucks. The Bulwark team—Sam Stein, JVL, and Catherine—delve into the clash between Kennedy and New England’s most cherished institution: Dunkin’ Donuts. The conversation blends cultural analysis, sharp humor, nostalgia, and critiques of public health grandstanding, examining the deep-rooted significance of Dunkin’ in regional and American identity.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. RFK Jr.’s Challenge to Dunkin’ and Starbucks

• RFK Jr. calls out Dunkin’ and Starbucks to “show us the safety data that show that it's okay for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.” (01:00)
• Hosts interpret this as Kennedy “going to war with New England,” a remarkable move given the Kennedy family’s longstanding cultural ties to the region.
• Sam teases a grotesque Dunkin’ concoction he’ll reveal later in the show.

2. The Symbolic Weight of Dunkin’ in New England

• The hosts emphasize Dunkin’ as a core pillar of Massachusetts and New England identity.
  • Catherine: “The three most important things to people here are, are Duncan, the Kennedys, and the Red Sox, in that order.” (03:25)
• JVL provides a quintessential Boston experience: “You could hop off, get a Dunkin light and sweet... hop right back on the T. I was like, this is wicked pisser.” (02:32)
• The cognitive dissonance of a Kennedy attacking Dunkin’ is compared to “watching a giant eagle attack the Statue of Liberty.” (04:13)

3. Dunkin’ by the Numbers: Regional Devotion

• Sam shares revealing stats:
  • Out of 9,990 Dunkin’ locations nationwide, 1,031 are in Massachusetts (one for every nine in the state).
  • 80% of Massachusetts residents live within two miles of a Dunkin’. (04:17)
• Cultural divide: Real New Englanders prefer Dunkin’; Starbucks is seen as the alternative for outsiders.

4. Evolution of Dunkin’: From Donuts to Coffee (and Super Bowl Ads)

• Nostalgia for the days when donuts were made fresh in-store:
  • JVL laments: “No longer because we can't have nice things in America and shitification is our national anthem, but the coffee, qua coffee... is just better than Starbucks coffee.” (05:57)
• Discussion of celebrity Dunkin’ commercials, especially with Boston icons Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and even a reference to Al Pacino’s “Dunkachino.” (07:13)

5. Dunkin’ Excess: Gigantic Coffees and Strange Fragrances

• Catherine introduces Dunkin’s new 48-ounce coffee “bucket,” rolling out in select locations: “I’d go swimming in it. I'd really have a heart attack.” (07:50)
• Odd product collaborations—Dunkin'-scented deodorant and toiletries: “I don't know if you smell like a donut or a coffee or that weird smell of the inside of a Dunkin Donuts.” (08:51)

6. Sugar Content: The Disturbing Details

• Sam reads out nutritional facts:
  • Large strawberry culatta: 110g sugar; vanilla bean up to 167g; even regular iced lattes and lemonades have sky-high sugar content. (10:04)
• Catherine: “The daily dietary guidelines are apparently 50 grams per day. Per day.” (10:34)
• JVL: “You don't want people to be able to have whatever the hell they want? This is America.” (10:41)

7. America’s Right to Sugary Freedom and the Limits of Public Health Activism

• Hosts defend the right to consumer choice and push back on perceived nanny-statism:
  • JVL: “We drive big pickup trucks and we drink big sugary coffees.” (10:51)
• Jesting references to the cultural and political weaponization of “making America healthy.”
  • JVL: “If you simply do after school programs... that’s the mark of the beast. And we need to have an insurrection and a Tea Party and all that stuff. Because you’re a communist.” (15:59)

8. Sam’s Gonzo Journalism: The Diabetes Bucket

• Sam creates and tries a monstrous Dunkin’ order: “Five shots of caramel, two shots of blueberry, two coconuts, three Splenda, and four cream.” (13:14)
• Group reaction: “Oh, it tastes like. It tastes like ice cream. It just tastes like liquid melted ice cream.” (13:45)
• Catherine compares it to a melted sundae and jokes about induced diabetes (20:38).

9. Reflecting on RFK Jr.'s Health Crusades (and Double Standards)

• JVL ridicules the double standard of “a roided out ketamine addiction” guy telling America what to consume:
  • “Who looks like he injects HGH into his eyeballs every morning and horse steroids into his ass every night. Running around telling people what they can and can’t put into their felt holes.” (14:05)
• Critique of RFK Jr.’s selective health activism and MLM-adjacent supplement culture. (14:28)

10. Culture Wars and Brand Identity: Could Dunkin’ Become Lib Coffee?

• The hosts speculate whether RFK Jr.’s targeting of Dunkin’ could backfire, risking Dunkin’ being seen as a “blue brand,” similar to the Bud Light and trans spokesperson controversy.
• Catherine: “At the point that you enter the culture wars, for whatever reason, you enter the culture wars...” (17:52)
• JVL: “You may not be interested in the culture war, but the culture war is interested in you, Sam.” (18:02)
• Advice to Dunkin’: “I think if I were them, I would just shut up.” (18:44)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• JVL (sarcastically): “Why does Robert Kennedy hate America? Is there anything more American than Dunkin Donuts coffee? America runs on Dunkin.” (02:08)
• Catherine: “The three most important things to people here are, are Duncan, the Kennedys, and the Red Sox, in that order.” (03:25)
• JVL: “It’s like watching a giant eagle attack the Statue of Liberty.” (04:13)
• Sam Stein: “A large strawberry culatta has 110 grams of sugar. Disgusting. But that’s on the low side actually.” (10:04)
• JVL: “You don’t want people to be able to have whatever the hell they want? This is America.” (10:41)
• Catherine: “Not the nanny state here.” (10:56)
• Catherine (on Dunkin drinks): “How is this different from having a melted sundae?” (13:41)
• JVL (on RFK Jr.): “Who looks like he injects HGH into his eyeballs every morning and horse steroids into his ass every night, running around telling people what they can and can’t put into their felt holes.” (14:05)
• JVL: “We drive big pickup trucks and we drink big sugary coffees.” (10:51)
• JVL: “You may not be interested in the culture war, but the culture war is interested in you, Sam.” (18:02)
• Catherine: “I think if I were them, I would just shut up.” (18:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• RFK Jr. vs. Dunkin’ Donuts: 01:00–02:21
• Dunkin’ as New England Institution: 02:21–04:13
• Dunkin’ Locations and Stats: 04:13–05:53
• Dunkin’ Nostalgia and Ads: 05:34–07:28
• 48oz Dunkin’ Drink and Fragrances: 07:37–09:25
• Dunkin’ Sugar Content & Nutrition Discussion: 09:35–10:41
• Sam’s Gonzo Order & Taste Test: 13:12–13:49
• RFK Jr., Supplements, and Culture Wars: 14:05–15:14 and 17:11–18:44
• Marketing and Political Risks: 16:41–20:19

Conclusion

The episode wraps with the hosts reinforcing Dunkin’ as a non-partisan, deeply American staple and playfully siding with consumer freedom over sugar shaming. They lampoon RFK Jr.’s approach and urge Dunkin’ to avoid getting sucked into the culture wars. Sam recovers from his “diabetes bucket” beverage, and the crew signs off with a salute to Dunkin’s iconic place in American life.

Final Sam Stein quote: “Thank you for subscribing to the Bulwark where you support good stuff like this. Talk to you soon. Goodbye. I spilled a little on my mic.” (20:48)