Xavier Becerra Stumbles Through Awkward Interview, Misnames San Francisco Mayor

California gubernatorial frontrunner Xavier Becerra recently stumbled through an interview with the San Francisco Standard, fumbling basic questions on campaign fundraising and misidentifying a key Democratic ally. The Democratic candidate, who holds a significant lead over Republican rival Steve Hilton, faced questions from the Standard's Sophia Garrow regarding campaign finance.

When asked if there were companies from which he would not accept campaign donations, Becerra initially responded, "Sure," before pausing and asking Garrow to "Name some." He stated he would not accept funds from Palantir, a company that has reportedly provided technology to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but indicated he would accept donations from defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The conversation also touched upon Purdue Pharma, with Becerra noting his past actions as attorney general to sue the company over its role in the opioid crisis. When pressed if he would accept money from them now, Becerra responded, "I mean if it’s a legitimate business and they’re doing business in a way that isn’t destroying lives -- ... That doesn’t mean for the rest of your life," suggesting a belief in redemption for companies that have faced legal consequences.

During his primary campaign, Becerra drew criticism for accepting substantial donations from corporations like Chevron. He had previously defended these contributions, stating that Chevron was "not the bad guy."

The interview also highlighted an error on Becerra's campaign website, which listed an endorsement from "Mayor David Lurie" of San Francisco. The city's actual mayor is Daniel Lurie. When Garrow inquired about his relationship with "David," Becerra responded, "Growing," and spoke of his accomplishments without correcting the interviewer's mistaken name.

These moments have drawn criticism on social media, with some users describing the interview as a "brutal watch." The New York Post noted that the endorsement page on Becerra's website appeared to have been corrected.

Despite these stumbles, polls indicate Becerra maintains a strong lead in the gubernatorial race. A recent survey from September 15-20 showed Becerra leading Hilton 58% to 33% among likely voters. The two candidates are scheduled to participate in a televised debate hosted by CNN.