Filling in for Joan Esposito, William Muck is joined by Xavier Becerra, Democratic candidate for California governor and former secretary of the Health and Human Services.

Becerra discussed the resignations of senior leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) due to political interference in public health policymaking.

"It's unfortunate that we see CDC on this nosedive to oblivion, where the agency that's supposed to be our red alert, our first warning, or the canary in the coal mine that tells us when we're about to be hit by some really bad, deadly disease is now being shrunk in ways that will endanger the lives and health of so many Americans. This is all a man-made disaster. This is the result of Trump budget cuts. And what we're seeing is that our ability to be prepared for things like a COVID pandemic, our ability to face forward and be foresighted in how we deal with something like avian flu, these are all being undermined by the actions of this administration and this HHS secretary," Becerra said, referring to his successor at Health & Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Becerra emphasized the importance of scientific expertise in public health and warned of long-term consequences from the loss of experienced professionals. He also highlighted the negative impact of recent Medicaid cuts, which could affect millions of Americans, particularly vulnerable populations like newborns and nursing home residents.

In his bid to be California's next governor, Becerra emphasized his track record of fighting for public health and affordable health care.

"I'm in this race because I believe it's time to once again reward work hard work," Becerra told WCPT. "If you work hard, you should know you're going to be able to have the health insurance your family needs. If you work hard, you're going to have that roof over your head. You're not going to become homeless. If you work hard, you will be able to send your kids to at least a public university. And if you work hard, you'll be able to store up enough that you'll be able to retire in dignity. That's my fight as governor, and what I tell folks is, we do need fighters, but it's not just someone who says, for the first time I'm gonna fight. You need someone who knows how to fight and win."

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