By The FirstJustin Pearson, one of two members of the Tennessee House of Representatives that was recently expelled fro the legislative body, has impressed many on the left with his public speaking skills, with many drawing comparisons to a young Martin Luther King. However, a recently unearthed video from Pearson’s 2016 campaign for President of Bowdoin College student government shows a far more polished side of the former lawmaker.
Watch the video below:
“How can we represent all voices in the conversation?” a clean-cut Pearson asks in the campaign video. “I wanted to do this by partnering with organizations from the Bowdoin Democrats to the Bowdoin Republicans. I wanna bring together different voices — dissenting voices, voices that may be more liberal or more conservative — in order that we can reach a point of, sort of, the radical middle.”
The mannerisms and affectation Pearson displays in the 2016 video are a far cry from those he appears to have subsequently adopted. In recent days, Pearson has the cadence of a southern preacher at the pulpit rather than a slick politician.
The recently uncovered video has led some to suggest that Person’s current persona may be contrived.
“Check the difference in cadence and presentation between 2016 and now,” remarked the Heritage Foundation’s Delano Squires. “Not sure whose 60s-inspired cosplay is faker—[Colin Kaepernick’s] journey from clean cut playboy to Black Panther or Pearson’s transition from Bowdoin student to MLK impersonator.”
