Did Rand Paul plagiarize his speech from Wikipedia? It sure seems that way, as Rachel Maddow pointed out on Monday.
In a speech given in support of Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli, Paul referenced the 90s science fiction movie Gattaca. The Kentucky senator used the plot of Gattaca--a dystopian world in which eugenics is widely practiced-- to attack pro-choice advocates. Even more bizarre than his choice of metaphor are the similarities between Paul's speech and the Wikipedia page for Gattaca.
As Maddow points out, Paul said:
"In the movie Gattaca, in the not-too-distant future, eugenics is common and DNA plays a primary role in determining your social class."
From the Wikipedia entry:
From Paul's speech:
"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."
From Wikipedia:
So did he rip his speech from the internet? Or was this just all a weird coincidence? Watch more of the striking similarities in the video above and watch Paul's speech below and let us know what you think.