Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes — "The Dilbert Guy, Cancer, and MAGA's Tribal Compassion"
Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Jonathan Cohn
Guest: Will Sommer

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Scott Adams, the creator of "Dilbert," his recent public struggle with advanced prostate cancer, and how his appeal for help mobilized key MAGA figures and right-wing media, revealing stark contrasts in compassion within the political sphere. Jonathan Cohn and Will Sommer contextualize Adams’ notoriety, chronicle the controversy around his cancer treatment, and dissect the implications for broader American health care policy and right-wing tribalism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction: Who is Scott Adams and Why Is He in the News?

• Background Context:
  • Dilbert creator Scott Adams is now a prominent MAGA-aligned commentator, often touting himself as a "persuasion expert" and delivering what some on the right see as "fourth-dimensional chess" advice.
  • Will Sommer describes his own history as a Dilbert fan, noting Adams’ shift from pop culture figure to controversial political influencer.
  • Quote (Will, 00:19):

    "He’s almost like an esoteric maga guy… he has sort of his own theories. He’s like a persuasion expert, quote, unquote."

2. Scott Adams’ Cancer Diagnosis and Public Appeal

• The Fallout of Diagnosis:

  • Adams revealed he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer and, facing bureaucratic hurdles with his insurer Kaiser Permanente accessing the drug Pluvicto, publicly appealed for help, specifically tweeting at President Trump.
  • The right-wing media machine and Trump’s orbit—including Don Jr., RFK Jr., and HHS officials—quickly rallied around Adams to break the impasse.
  • Memorable Moment (01:31, Jonathan):

    "He tweeted at the President saying help. Which is, you know, I guess he has a relationship with President Trump..."

• Kaiser Permanente’s Response:

  • The insurer ultimately agreed to provide the treatment but offered little detail about what caused the holdup.
  • The hosts note how little is clarified in situations like this, especially involving high-profile right-wing figures.
  • Quote (Will, 03:24):

    "...they’ve said that he’s going to receive the treatment… this isn’t like an Ivermectin situation where this is some just totally off the wall treatment that he’s seeking."

3. Bureaucratic Hurdles, Influence, and Inequity

• Navigating Bureaucracy in US Health Care:

  • Jonathan Cohn emphasizes the reality that health care systems often stall, requiring substantial push—sometimes public outcry or political influence—to resolve.
  • Quote (Jonathan, 04:02):

    "Sometimes they just get stuck and you gotta… just make a lot of noise and break through them any way you can."

• Contrast in Compassion:

  • The hosts underscore an uncomfortable truth: the administration’s rapid intervention for Adams contrasts sharply with its ongoing efforts to slash health care benefits for millions.

  • Quote (Jonathan, 06:20):

    "It's hard not to notice that on the one hand all this energy, all this effort to help someone... But you know, what about all these other people? Why is the effort not being made there?"

  • Will Sommer connects the episode to a broader pattern of MAGA tribalism, where benefits are dispensed to friends and allies, while others are neglected or punished.

  • Quote (Will, 05:22):

    "...everything for my friends and… punishment for, or the withholding from the average person or certainly people perceived as foes of the administration."

4. Health Care Policy and Real-World Consequences

• Policy Cuts and Human Impact:
  • The episode lays out the stakes of recent and forthcoming health policy moves: massive cuts to Medicaid, threatened ACA subsidies, and millions at risk of losing health coverage.
  • Cohn references studies showing that losing insurance dramatically worsens outcomes for seriously ill patients, including cancer.
  • Quote (Jonathan, 06:20):

    "Tens of thousands of people a year are going to die prematurely because of these healthcare cuts. Some of them are going to die because of cancer."

5. Backlash from the Alternative Health Right

• A Strange Subplot:
  • Sommer highlights a subplot within the right-wing community: backlash against Adams for opting for a conventional (proven) cancer drug rather than an alternative, unproven regime favored by some in the MAGA wellness space. When Adams publicly rejected the alternative treatment, its promoter and loyalists turned on him.
  • Quote (Will, 08:05):

    "Scott Adams, I would say, is like kind of in this weird position where he's like, slightly more rational and skeptical than a lot of other right wing media figures... the idea that he was seeking any kind of, like, realistic traditional medicine has really infuriated a lot of his fans."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Scott Adams' new persona:

  • Will Sommer (00:19):

    "...he’s almost like an esoteric maga guy... he’s like a persuasion expert, quote, unquote."

• On influence and special treatment:

  • Will Sommer (05:22):

    "...everything for my friends and... punishment for, or the withholding from the average person or certainly people perceived as foes of the administration."

• On real-world national health impacts:

  • Jonathan Cohn (06:20):

    "Tens of thousands of people a year are going to die prematurely because of these healthcare cuts..."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:31: Introduction to Scott Adams, Dilbert legacy, and political trajectory
• 01:31–03:17: Adams’ cancer battle, failed insurer response, public appeal and MAGA intervention
• 03:17–04:02: Kaiser Permanente’s response—treatment approval and missing details
• 04:02–05:22: Bureaucratic inertia in health care and the use of influence
• 05:22–06:20: Compassion for allies but not the public; pattern of right-wing tribalism
• 06:20–08:05: The broader disaster of policy cuts to American health insurance; impact on cancer and mortality
• 08:05–09:23: Subplot—backlash from alt-health right over Adams endorsing real medicine

Tone & Closing

The episode balances dry wit, skepticism, and genuine concern, offering both policy insight and a pointed critique of tribalism in American politics. The hosts close with best wishes for Adams and all cancer patients, underscoring the episode’s broader message: everyone deserves care, not just those with friends in high places.