Maddow noted similarities in Paul’s speech and the Wikipedia page of a movie. Maddow: Paul ripped off Wikipedia

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is accusing Sen. Rand Paul of lifting some material from Wikipedia for a speech he gave at Liberty University in Virginia.

The passages in question are descriptions of the movie “Gattaca,” about genetic discrimination in a dystopian future. Monday night, Maddow noted the similarities in Paul’s speech and the Wikipedia page.


Paul was making a point about abortion and how it can be compared to removing undesired genes from the nation’s pool. He referenced the movie as an example of eugenics.

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“In the movie, ‘Gattaca’, in the not-too-distant future, eugenics is common. And DNA plays a primary role in determining your social class,” Paul said at Liberty.

That compares to the Wikipedia entry on the movie, which hadn’t been edited since late September: “In the not-too-distant future, liberal eugenics is common and DNA plays the primary role in determining social class.”

The Kentucky Republican continued summarizing the movie.

“Due to frequent screenings, Vincent faces genetic discrimination and prejudice. The only way to achieve his dream of being an astronaut is he has to become what’s called a borrowed ladder,” Paul said.

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Wikipedia read: “Due to frequent screening, Vincent faces genetic discrimination and prejudice. The only way he can achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut is to become a ‘borrowed ladder.’”

Maddow continued to highlight similar passages, saying Paul’s speech “was totally ripped off of Wikipedia.”

“He assumes the identity of Jerome Morrow, a world-class swimming star with a genetic profile secondary to none, who’s been paralyzed in a car accident,” Paul said.

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That was similar to the Wikipedia line: “He assumes the identity of Jerome Eugene Morrow, a former swimming star with a genetic profile ‘second to none,’ who had been injured in a car accident, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.”

“Jerome buys his identity and uses his DNA, his blood, his hair, his tissue, his urine to pass the screening,” Paul continued.

From Wikipedia: “Vincent ‘buys’ Jerome’s identity and uses his ‘valid’ DNA in blood, hair, tissue, and urine samples to pass screening.”

After the segment, Maddow’s blog noted that after Paul’s speech on Monday, somebody edited the Wikipedia page to include “Rand Paul talking point” instead of “borrowed ladder,” but it was quickly edited back out.

Paul was speaking at Liberty in support of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for governor in the election next Tuesday.

Paul’s office couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.