Jonathan Krohn, Reformed Conservative Boy Wonder, Responds To Criticism (VIDEO)

WATCH: Former Conservative Boy Wonder Explains Political Shift, Responds To Criticism

How quickly the fall from grace begins.

After Politico revealed that Jonathan Krohn, the 17-year-old who achieved internet fame in 2009 with a fiery CPAC speech, is a fire-breathing conservative no longer, attacks on his character sprung up on the web.

During an appearance on MSNBC's "Hardball" on Tuesday, Krohn discussed his shift away from the right side of the aisle and addressed where he now stands on several political issues.

"Well, I am in favor of Obamacare," he said. "I mean Obamacare and gay marriage, and I am pro-choice now. You know, it was social conservatism that was really the first thing to go."

Reflecting on his encounters at social conservative gatherings, he continued, "It's very much a very fundamentalist, strong Evangelical core that you have there. And, if you stray from that, a lot of the people in that area of conservatism have a problem with that, if you reach out a little bit and don't agree with them on one issue. They're very restrictive."

Asked about blowback he's experienced from conservatives in response to his political shift, Krohn acknowledged that some of the reaction has been critical, but stressed, "I changed my mind." Referring to coverage on Fox News he said, "They started making fun of me. I think one of the guys said if it was up to him he would have left me in the woods as a baby. On the Daily Caller, they have written three articles about me, all of which called me names I can't repeat on television in 5:00 in the afternoon."

One Daily Caller article published earlier in the day quoted an anonymous source who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2009, who called Krohn "smug, condescending, and obviously completely ignorant of what he was saying." The source added, "To be clear, the fact that he was being used did not make the kid any less of a douche.”

Krohn, who authored the book Defining Conservatism: The Principles that will Bring our Country Back, signaled on Tuesday that if he were old enough to vote in this year's presidential election he would cast a ballot in favor of President Barack Obama.

Below, a look at 20 extraordinary wunderkinds.

Child Prodigies

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot