Democratic candidate for California governor, Xavier Becerra, is facing criticism following an exchange with a reporter over his expectations during an interview. This discussion took place with KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos, as part of the station’s series on key candidates in the upcoming race.
During the interview aired Tuesday, Becerra seemed to want to clarify the nature of the questions he was willing to answer. “By the way, this is a profile piece. This is not a Gotcha piece, right?” he asked, aiming to set the tone.
In response, Ramos said, “I think these questions are fair. They’re meant to learn about you as a candidate.” Becerra pushed back, stating, “If it’s about profiles…” and Ramos replied that she simply wanted to start the interview.
Becerra continued, explaining that he prefers discussions that cover both his achievements and future proposals, without solely focusing on difficult questions.
This interview comes amidst tougher questions Becerra has faced regarding pressing issues like homelessness and his time as Health and Human Services secretary under the Biden administration, including his comments on unaccounted immigrant children.
Ramos later shared that she felt “caught off guard” by Becerra’s remarks, noting that her experience differed significantly from previous interviews with other candidates. She emphasized that the intention was to help the audience understand each candidate through a variety of questions.
Critics on social media did not hold back. Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo noted the irony of Becerra trying to instruct a seasoned reporter on how to do her job. Others humorously pointed out Becerra’s previous attempts to control media narratives, with references to past interactions that suggested a pattern.
Becerra’s campaign has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding this incident.
