The unavoidably awkward Ted Cruz tried to have it all. He sought to maintain the reputation of a family man while courting controversy with outlandish statements. So, while he has been rising in the GOP polls, his quest to appear as messy as Donald Trump may have worked against him. Or perhaps all the folks coming out of the woodwork to profess their Cruz hate is what toppled the walking gingham-shirt closet.
Whatever the cause, Cruz lost one of his biggest supporters, CJ Pearson, who led the Teens for Ted Cruz organization. It was only mid-October when the 13-year-old viral star endorsed Cruz as a “once-in-a-lifetime candidate” who would “make America whole again and safe again.” Pearson’s media image grew muddled two weeks ago, thanks to a CNN report where he discussed the shooting of Laquan McDonald by a Chicago policeman. This talk followed up on Pearson’s video on the subject, and CNN declared that Pearson “renounces conservativism.”
Pearson countered, saying CNN got “excited” with their headline, and simply because he wants the GOP to examine issues surrounding minorities doesn’t mean he’s abandoning the party. As BizPac Review put it, this “doesn’t mean CJ Pearson will be donning a Hillary Clinton or Obama t-shirt any time soon. It means he wants to broaden the Republican tent to include more people.”
Well, maybe Pearson will be wearing a new t-shirt. A new CNN report says Pearson has endorsed Bernie Sanders due to his platform that focuses on police brutality and other issues that are important to minorities:
“This election will make a pivotal difference in the future of our nation. If it takes changing your mind to make the right choice as to who should lead our country, I am willing to do it. Screw the optics. People are struggling in America. We need the right man in the White House. And in my opinion, that man is Senator Bernie Sanders.”
Pearson is a teenager, so he can be expected to change his mind at will. Most people can’t claim critical thinking skills at that age, whereas he’s captured an audience who listens to his viewpoints. This must be a sad day for the Cruz campaign.
(Via CNN & BizPac Review)