Becerra Meltdown: California Democrats Can’t Take the Heat

Video is out showing California Gubernatorial Candidate Xavier Becerra trying to convince a local reporter to go easy on him in a sit-down interview.

“By the way, this is a profile piece — this is not a gotcha piece, right?” Becerra asked.

When the reporter replied that she would be asking fair questions to learn about him as a candidate, Becerra doubled down. “As long as it’s about the profile,” he says. “About the things I have done, things I want to do, and along with some tough questions.”

What did he think was going to take place when he sat down with a reporter?

Awkward moment kicks off KTLA interview with Xavier Becerra. @CaliforniaICP Full report: https://t.co/UcMXzidzrf pic.twitter.com/OViYkfTg3t

— KTLA (@KTLA) May 12, 2026

Becerra showed the KTLA reporter and every voter in the state that he has no chops – begging for a softball interview. If he can’t answer a few questions about his lengthy record, he’s either an empty suit, defensive, thin-skinned or just dim.

Or, he’s never had a real media interview in his entire 33 year political career. You’d think he would welcome some tough questions to set himself apart from the other candidates.

Becerra was a member of Congress from 1993 to January 2017. He was then appointed California Attorney General by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, 2017 to 2021. President Joe Biden appointed him Health and Human Services Secretary in 2021 and served until January 2025.

“The media has given Becerra a free pass for so long, but he’s got enough skeletons he’s still afraid,” Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff and a Republican candidate, said on X.

“Fixing the problems Californians are facing isn’t easy — but answering questions about them sure should be,” Mahan wrote on X.

Are we watching Becerra melt down? If we are, at least he wasn’t as rude about it as Katie Porter was in an interview last fall with CBS reporter Julie Watts. We reported:

“Katie Porter to Everyone: ‘How Dare You Question Me’”

Porter’s interview with CBS News investigative reporter Julie Watts went viral and after a few questions, Porter announced she was ending the interview. Watts asked Porter, “How are you planning to win over the 40% of California voters who voted for President Trump, who you’ll need in order to win?” Porter leans in, wrinkles her face and asks, “How will I need them to win, ma’am?”

Porter could have said that she and her campaign team recognize that 40% of California voters supported Donald Trump and are focused on attracting all California voters. She would not have committed to actually doing anything, but would have appeared as if she cares about all voters.

Instead she leaned in toward reporter Julie Watts’ face, grimaced, and gets defensive.

They go back and forth with Watts questioning Porter about potential election strategies and outcomes before Porter says, “I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative.”

The back and forth continues before Porter says, “I don’t want to do this. I call it.”

And just like that, Porter announces she has had enough. But Watts continues.

“You’re not going to do the interview?” Watts asks.

“Nope, not like this I’m not,” Porter says. “Not with seven follow ups to every question.”

Watts repeatedly tells her that every other candidate has answered her questions and follow up questions.

“I don’t care. I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation,” she says, dripping with entitlement. Porter then complains again about follow up questions.

Porter says “I don’t care,” because she doesn’t care. She’s entitled to the office of California Governor.

Democrats campaigning for governor think they can dictate to reporters that they are not to be asked “gotcha questions.” Interesting in that “gotcha questions” are all Republicans seem to get from media.

Is the media also turning on these has-been politicians?

Steve Guest reported on X:

A senior Biden-Harris administration alum just KNEECAPPED Xavier Becerra after the California gubernatorial debate, saying that there is wide Cabinet Secretary-level agreement that he was "not an effective HHS Secretary."

Xochitl Hinojosa, a Biden DOJ and DNC alum: "After… pic.twitter.com/ugcQwO65RR

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) May 6, 2026

A senior Biden-Harris administration alum just KNEECAPPED Xavier Becerra after the California gubernatorial debate, saying that there is wide Cabinet Secretary-level agreement that he was “not an effective HHS Secretary.”

Xochitl Hinojosa, a Biden DOJ and DNC alum: “After working in Joe Biden’s administration, I do not trust Xavier Becerra [to stand up to Donald Trump]. Hinojosa continues: “When I saw him in the administration and I think a lot of people did and people understand this. It’s he was not effective in governing. And I think that a lot of people in the Biden administration are talking about this because they realize that he was not an effective HHS Secretary. And if you ask any cabinet secretary, they would tell you the same thing. And so I think that there is a I think people recognize this and I think this is why Tom Steyer has gone to the top.”

CNN’s Abby Phillip confirms: “This is that’s not this is not the first time that I’ve heard that, right? So what Xochi’s talking about is a real thing.”

Democrats running for California Governor are devoid of issues that matter. As we reported in a recent article comparing the 8 top contenders, they all are running against Donald Trump, as Xochitl Hinojosa made clear in her diatribe about Becerra.

They may as well declare:

“I love our tax code.”

“California schools are terrific.”

“High energy prices and gas prices are fabulous.”

“High Speed Rail is a success.”

“The homeless are healthy for society.”

Said no Democrat ever in any of the debates.