A bear that caused stir at political rally
One of the many Republican candidates vying to replace the governor of California in an upcoming vote caused a stir on Tuesday by bringing a bear to his political rally.
John Cox is campaigning on the theme of “beauty and the beast” - the “beauty” being current Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, known for his primped appearance in the state that is home to Hollywood.
Cox has cast himself as the “beast” who will shake up politics in the most populous US state, where a brown bear features prominently on its flag.
“The beautiful politicians have failed California,” Cox said during a rally in Sacramento, the state capital.
In a publicity stunt, Cox brought a Kodiak bear to his rally. The bear, named “Tag”, weighs about 500kg and was born in captivity and trained to appear in films and TV series.
The use of a bear for political purposes caused an outcry among animal rights advocates, such as PETA, who said it was “unfortunate and shameful that Tag the Kodiak bear has been exploited in this way.”