Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and potential vice-presidential candidate, found himself in a peculiar situation involving Ohio Senator JD Vance, Diet Mountain Dew, and questions of authenticity. This seemingly trivial incident reveals deeper political undercurrents and highlights the cultural associations tied to a popular soft drink.
The Apology… to Diet Mountain Dew
The saga began when JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, joked at an Ohio rally that he anticipated being labeled a "racist" for consuming a Diet Mountain Dew. Beshear, in a CNN interview, responded to Vance's comment by calling it "weird" and questioning, "Who drinks Diet Mountain Dew?".
However, Beshear later walked back his statement, offering an apology not to Vance, but to the makers of Diet Mountain Dew. At a press conference at the Kentucky State Capitol on Thursday, Beshear held up a bottle of the soft drink and stated, "Folks, I've been a person that when sometimes I've gone over the line, I've wanted to make sure that I set the record straight, so, I do owe an apology to Diet Mountain Dew."
Authenticity and Appalachian Identity
Beshear's initial criticism of Vance extended beyond just beverage preferences. He accused the "Hillbilly Elegy" author of misrepresenting the Appalachian region and portraying its residents as lazy. Beshear emphasized that Vance, who grew up in Middletown, Ohio, and only has family ties to Kentucky, is not truly "from here."
At the news conference, Beshear clarified that his remarks were not influenced by vice-presidential aspirations. "What I said about JD Vance isn't because of anything that is rumored about me or any role he's stepped into," Beshear asserted. "It's because he has exploited and attempted to attack my fellow Kentuckians. And it's my job as governor to stand up when that happens." He criticized Vance for profiting from the claim of understanding eastern Kentucky's people and culture, and then disparaging them.
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Diet Mountain Dew: More Than Just a Drink
The focus on Diet Mountain Dew raises questions about the cultural significance of the beverage. Soft drinks often become associated with specific demographics, and Mountain Dew is particularly linked to rural America, especially the "Mountain Dew Belt." The term "Mountain Dew" itself is old Appalachian slang for moonshine. Originally created in Tennessee in the 1940s as a mixer for whiskey, Mountain Dew was marketed with the slogan: "Yahoo, Mountain Dew. It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!".
Despite being acquired by PepsiCo in 1964, Mountain Dew never fully shed its "hillbilly" image. In the 1980s, it was marketed as "Dew It Country Cool." Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, described Mountain Dew as "an attitude. It's a fantastic attitude in a bottle."
Bipartisan Bubbly?
Interestingly, Diet Mountain Dew also has fans on the other side of the political aisle. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris's running mate, is also known to enjoy the beverage. Walz once joked about happily consuming a 52-ounce can of Diet Mountain Dew for breakfast.
Vance himself highlighted the drink's appeal during a Newsmax appearance, stating, "This is the good stuff here. High caffeine, low calorie." At a campaign rally, he jokingly suggested that Democrats would accuse him of racism for his Diet Dew habit.
Health Concerns and Nutritional Perspectives
While the politicians joke about their Diet Mountain Dew habits, it's important to consider the health implications of consuming such beverages. Diet Mountain Dew, like other artificially sweetened sodas, contains ingredients that have raised concerns among health experts.
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These include artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. While the FDA considers these sweeteners "generally recognized as safe," some studies have suggested potential links to cardiovascular disease and other health issues. The artificial color Yellow 5 (tatrazine) has also been associated with behavioral changes in children.
Other ingredients, such as natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA, and sodium benzoate, have also been subjects of debate regarding their potential health effects.
Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition science, suggests that drinking sodas with either sugar or artificial sweeteners is "a poor role model for the young whose habits are forming." She advises that "it is better to never start drinking sweetened beverages than to have to shift away from them."
Political posturing
The incident involving Beshear, Vance, and Diet Mountain Dew highlights how seemingly trivial matters can become fodder for political maneuvering. Beshear's initial criticism of Vance's beverage choice, followed by his apology to Diet Mountain Dew, served to reinforce his image as a defender of Kentucky and Appalachian culture.
Vance's joke about being called racist for drinking Diet Mountain Dew was an attempt to deflect criticism and portray himself as an ordinary American. The fact that both Vance and Walz, despite their political differences, share a fondness for Diet Mountain Dew, underscores the drink's widespread appeal across different demographics.
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In a bitterly divisive election cycle, the Republican and Democratic tickets have united around a single issue. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' running mates JD Vance and Tim Walz are both fans of the same fizzy beverage. Their swill of choice? Ice cold cans of the neon-colored, nose-tickling, super-citrusy, highly caffeinated Diet Mountain Dew, a popular cooler staple in backyards and on backroads. Soft drinks often become associated with certain demographics, but Mountain Dew more than most. It has deep roots in rural America - what analysts call the “Mountain Dew Belt.” "Mountain Dew" is old-timey Appalachian slang for moonshine. Its Tennessee creators Barney and Ally Hartman originally crafted Mountain Dew as a mixer for whiskey in the 1940s. Its slogan was: “Yahoo, Mountain Dew. It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!”