Rand Paul and/or his minions have a serious plagiarism problem

It may die down.

What matters is what happens when he tries to run for President? Does it get dismissed as "old news", or does it gain traction? Do more examples come out? Can it be used to make some larger point -- like is he a faux-intellectual?

 

Here's how I link Cruz to Paul:

Cruz most certainly is a national political neophyte. On a meteoric rise. With a minefield of political flaws. Like Paul, he's trying to pull an Obama. His intended trajectory is almost certainly unsustainable.

 

He is never going to be more than an "on the stage" candidate, so I don't think this is much of a consideration.

A long time ago, and never to come back the other way. The devaluation of research and writing in the school system means most people don't put much stock in it anymore.

 

On both sides, all the "other side" does is throw shit against the wall in regard to politicians. And the outrage meter has become so fucking high by the "other side" for even smaller stuff, that maybe all of this becomes white noise to Joe Q. Public.

 

I think the biggest blunder he made during this was to act like a hurt child after the first instance was uncovered. He looks like a total idiot for that now. Remember when Gary Hart dared reporters to uncover extramarital affairs? Lesson: Don't dare reporters.

 

Oh, and not for nothing, but it's striking that Buzzfeed was the entity that uncovered this. The Beltway stenographers, yet again, fail to break a story that was right there for them to find, in the open.

 

I'm not so sure. In a Republican primary, he could be a factor.

If he can hold his father's base, that's not a bad starting point. His father never grew that base, but Paul could, with the support of "Tea Party" members, who are not the same as Ron Paul supporters.

Then, we have to look at how big the field is at the start. And, then we have to look at whose campaign implodes, and who picks up their supporters.

I said repeatedly, that there was no such thing as a Rick Santorum supporter. He was no one's first choice. People migrated to him. Paul will be the first choice of some.

 

Yeah, I think you're right... And I think the more the public dislikes or distrusts the media, the less they care about this.

I care about this. I went to college and was taught that this was just about the worst thing you could do in our profession. People will say, "Oh, he's not a journalist..." and I say, "Well, learn to be one before you start trying to write articles..."

I don't know what 2016 is going to be like for Paul. I think people find, or in my case found, him to be a lot more interesting than some of the other names being trotted out as possible candidates. Granted, it's too early to start putting too much stock in an election that is three years away. I rolled my eyes at the Gattaca crap, but something like this should be capable of ending a possible candidacy, like it did for Biden back in 1988.

 

He probably didn't know the extent of the problem, and staffers were probably afraid to tell him.

Did Buzzfeed have it before Rachel Maddow? I thought they picked it up after she first reported it.

 

New policy in the senator's office: no plagiarizing

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rand-paul-blames-plagiarism-on-staff-implements-new-citation-policy

 

It will be interesting to see how much changes in the next 2-3 years. I don't really buy that a candidate who we haven't really heard of at this point emerging, but I think Paul seemed like the most likely candidate to challenge Christie in the primaries.

 

Oh, I have no doubt he didn't know about it before he lashed out. We know how it played out behind the scenes. He still looks like a fool.

And Maddow broke the Wikipedia story. As I understand it, Buzzfeed broke the Washington Times story.