RCP Podcast: Becerra vs. Hilton, Hegseth's Hard Reset of the Military, Should GOP Empty the War Chest for Paxton?
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/rcp_podcast_.html

Thursday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, Carl Cannon, Tom Bevan, and Andrew Walworth discuss last night's debate between Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra, the candidates for California governor, Gavin Newsom's plan for running for president, and Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech last night describing a new military with "no fatties."

USA Today columnist Nicole Russell joins the show to discuss the Texas Senate race, and whether Ken Paxton is the kind of candidate the Republican Party should be blowing tens of millions of dollars to boost. Plus, Maine Sen. Susan Collin's comeback in the polls, and a remarkable foiled hijacking on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Listen live weekdays at 11:00 a.m. Eastern on SiriusXM's Megyn Kelly Channel 111, or on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/realclearpolitics-podcast/id1509826894), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5FkNemg3aIaPPNBImIcW2l), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@realclearpolitics4074), or other platforms.

00:00 (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/rcp_podcast_.html) - Opening: Becerra vs. Hilton

Walworth, Cannon, and Bevan discuss last night's debate between Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton. With Becerra up more than 20 points in the RCP Average, did the debate matter?

RCP Average: 2026 California Governor - Hilton vs. Becerra (https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/general/2026/california/hilton-vs-becerra) | Becerra +21.8

Watch: California Governor Debate: Becerra and Hilton Clash Over Taxes, Trump, Cost of Living (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/california_governors_debate_beerra_and_hilton_clash_over_taxes_trump_cost_of_living.html)

"Becerra won the debate because he didn't fall down. All he had to do was not screw up, and he didn't," Carl Cannon said. "Did he make a compelling case for governor? I don't think so. He just tried to act like a generic Democrat... He mentioned Trump something like 40 times."

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08:22 (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/rcp_podcast_.html) - Newsom Wants to be Bill Clinton?

The panel turns to a new Vanity Fair profile that prompts a debate over Gavin Newsom's political identity.

Vanity Fair: Gavin Newsom Is Ready for His Next Act. Will Democrats Ever Give Him a Shot at the White House? (http://vanityfair.com/story/gavin-newsom-interview?srsltid=AU7gw4Unt0dtUCpyrftt9tbkQu5QiT4zGwZ8DLfpviB0DHrr-TUL9JJx)

"It's not something that you can have an entire career and then suddenly flip the switch and be authentic, right? It doesn't happen that way. You either have it, or you don't have it. And he does not seem to have it," Bevan said.

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14:20 (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/rcp_podcast_.html) - Hegseth's Speech at Quantico

The panel discusses War Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech last night. Carl Cannon is effectively speechless, offering, "Someone who is a couple of pounds overweight can't fight for their country?"

Watch: Secretary Hegseth Delivers "State of the Force" Address: "No Fatties" (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/09/30/secretary_hegseth_delivers_state_of_the_troops_address.html)

"I texted with some folks that I know that are in the military and asked them what they thought of it, and they loved it -- maybe the generals didn't love it," Tom Bevan added. "They loved the reimplementation of standards, everything from physical standards to haircuts and all these things, the beard thing."

"All of that, because the department had sort of slowly-these standards had slipped to the point where you did have people who were not physically able and physically fit."

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19:24 (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/10/01/rcp_podcast_.html) - What Is Project Meridian?