Katie Porter isn’t necessarily above criticism, and it’s fair to say maybe she could have done things better in the recent CBS interview, which is currently going viral. I do not condone or defend Porter snapping at her staff to, “get out of [her] fucking shot.” But I am asking why nobody seems to have a normal, proportional response to it. Pundits across the board have agreed that these videos are career-enders in and of themselves. Meanwhile, the commentariat at large has taken them as license to indulge in unchecked, gleeful misogyny.
Random commenters on Bluesky and X have now begun opining that they’ve always has issues with Porter. Some cited her “arrogant” attitude and her appearance. Some claimed she always seemed too “angry” to be trusted. Some called her “kooky.” Even her whiteboard wasn’t immune.
Personally, I think it’s simply that the patriarchy stew we’ve all been swimming in for our entire lives has gotten thicker without us realizing it.
In basic terms, here’s what happened. Porter, who is running for governor of California, sat for an interview with CBS’s Julie Watts. Watts pressed Porter on how she would reach out to Republican voters, who she will need in order to win. Porter scoffed that she doesn’t need Republicans, who make up around 40% of the electorate, to win the governorship. Watts pressed further, Porter grew visibly frustrated, and finally Porter accused Watts of being unnecessarily combative.
