A kid asked Ted Cruz to sign the Communist Manifesto as a joke. Big mistake

The prospect of Senator Ted Cruz some day stepping into the presidential shoes is certainly no laughing matter, and it appears the man himself also finds it quite hard to take a joke.

During a campaign visit to Elkhart, Indiana on Thursday, a local jokester brandished a copy of Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto for Cruz to sign.

Instead of simply laughing it off, staunch Republican Cruz appeared to take the incident very seriously.

Here's what he wrote:

During what seemed like an eternity, he wrote "Millions have suffered because of this" on the first page before handing it back to its definitely baffled owner.

He then proceeded to lecture the young man on political history like you would a naughty schoolboy, saying:

I note [this suffering] as the son of a Cuban immigrant whose family have seen first hand just what Communism can do. But thank you for coming out.

More: Donald Trump attacked Hillary Clinton for using the 'Woman Card' so women have put him in his place