The saying about being a liberal when you’re young has in no way influenced the nascent political career of Duluth teen Jonathan Krohn.
During an on-camera debate about health care on Fox News, the suit-and-tie-clad 14-year-old's cellphone rang. His ring tone, Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock ‘n Roll" -- a tune forever linked to the 1983 film "Risky Business" -- hinted that his cultural sympathies, just like his excitedly expressed political beliefs, lie in the Reagan era.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last year, Krohn delivered a scholarly speech about the essence of conservatism, which landed him more media exposure, appearing on Fox News, CNN and as the subject of a feature in the New York Times.
With no mention of pit bulls or hockey moms, his new book, "Defining Conservatism: The Principles that Will Bring This Country Back," Vanguard Press, $19.99, which came out last Tuesday, cites Plato, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Hegel to explain in position-paper detail why Republicans believe what they believe.
Big rollers on the right, amused by analysis from the mouth of a babe, look at this young man with a half-serious gaze. Karl Rove may have called him “mini-me,” but radio talk show host William Bennett, says in Krohn's foreword that “[the book] should be read by every candidate for public office either wanting to call himself or herself a conservative or wanting to understand what a conservative actually believes.”
But for now, even though he probably knows more about tax laws than most adults, his youth remains something hard to overlook. When asked for an across-the-aisle response to Krohn’s new book, Jane Kidd, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, issued this response: “Jonathan is an ambitious and articulate young man. We look forward to watching him debate Chelsea in the 2040 presidential election.”
His mother, Marla Krohn, busy organizing her son’s promotional blitz that will include a slew of book signings and upcoming spots on “Fox & Friends,” Bennett’s “Morning in America” as well as a repeat performance at this year’s CPAC on Feb. 18-20, says it wouldn’t be far-fetched for such a prediction to come true:
“I think he’s been gifted to do what he’s doing and he has a passion for it,” she says. “He may choose to run for president one day.”
Q: Did you turn down Newt Gingrich to write the foreword?
A: Newt offered to do it, but I’d already told Dr. Bennett that he could write it first. Newt wrote an endorsement instead, so it’s not like I turned him away. I would never do that to him. He’s a good friend of mine.
Q: Do you talk politics with kids your age?
A: I do have friends my own age, but when it comes to talking politics, it’s with adults because, sadly, there aren’t a lot of kids who are interested. My book is much more aimed at adults. From my discussions of Marxist social theory in comparison to conservative theory and individual rights, there’s just not a lot there for kids.
The vast majority of people my age are not interested in political science. I can discuss politics with a few friends, not many – my best friend is big into economics. I met him playing golf.
Q: The book really paints the left as an adversary. Do you have any Democrat friends?
A: Of course. The people I disagree with – it’s not that I don’t like them. I have lots of Democrat friends. I think it’s very important to have friends on both sides because as a conservative, I believe it’s important to know people I disagree with.
Q: After you addressed CPAC last year, Jon Stewart made you the butt of a joke about the new ambassadors of the conservative movement, calling you a precocious teenage conservative firebrand and Doogie Howser G.O.P. What did you think of that?
A: That was funny. In the conservative world, whenever Jon Stewart insults you that means you have arrived. It means you’re now one of the guys.
Q: There’s little of you in the book that seems unsure about your beliefs. Is there anything about your philosophy that you see changing as you gain more life experience?
A: Look, I believe that my views in my book are not just my personal opinions. It examines the conservative view for how it is commonly interpreted and what its base principles are. I don’t think there’s anything in my view that will change. As a young person, my way of examining it will change. But I certainly don’t think my views will change. The age question is a factor, but I think hopefully that as I go on this book tour, people will start to recognize me not just as The Kid, but as somebody who has a great opinion on issues and is going to be around for a very long time.
MORE INFO
Jonathan Krohn book signing. 2 p.m. March 6. Barnes & Noble, The Forum on Peachtree, 5141 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross. 770-209-4244. www.barnesandnoble.com
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