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Rand Paul’s claim — twice in one day — that he has a biology degree
Washington Post ^ | 02/13/2015 | Glenn Kessler

Posted on 03/20/2015 2:53:23 PM PDT by thetallguy24

“I have a biology degree, okay?”

– Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), in remarks at the Lincoln Labs “Reboot Congress” conference, Feb. 12, 2015

This column has been updated with an additional explanation by Paul’s spokesman.

We first spotted a version of this quote in a Bloomberg column by David Weigel, and then checked the quotes with our colleague Jose DelReal, who had attended the conference.

This is a bit of an odd one, given that Paul does not have a college undergraduate degree.

The Facts

Paul mentioned his alleged degree at the conference not once, but twice. First, in an exchange with TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington, Paul said:

Arrington: “Let’s talk about economics because maybe you can actually explain this to me. I have an econ degree which means I know just enough not to understand any of what our government is [inaudible]”

Paul: “Mine’s in biology and English so this is going to be a great conversation.”

Then, later in the conversation, expounding on what he considered the virtues of Bitcoin, Paul said:

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: amnesty; bitcoin; cino; liar; libertarian; lino; president; randnesty; randsconcerntrolls; teaparty; turdpaul; tx
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I'll stick with Cruz.
1 posted on 03/20/2015 2:53:23 PM PDT by thetallguy24
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To: thetallguy24

Paul attended Baylor University from fall 1981 to summer 1984 and was enrolled in the honors program. During the time he spent at Baylor, he was involved in the swim team and the Young Conservatives of Texas and was a member of a secret organization known as the NoZe Brotherhood. Paul also regularly contributed to The Baylor Lariat. Paul left Baylor early, without completing either his Bachelor’s degree in biology or in English, when he was accepted into the Duke University School of Medicine. At the time, Duke did not require an undergraduate degree for admission to its graduate school. He earned a M.D. degree in 1988 and completed his residency in 1993.

Source: Wikipedia


2 posted on 03/20/2015 2:56:22 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: thetallguy24

WaPo, you must might want to read Obama’s book.

Take it from there, morons, if you REALLY want to check a ghost written book about a lying b*stard.

THEnN, we’ll talk about backgrunds, buttholes.


3 posted on 03/20/2015 2:57:23 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: thetallguy24

Wow..awesome work wapo..took an off the cuff remark and did due diligence..won’t examine or ask for barry’s college grades or papers..if they didn’t have double standards they would have no standards at all...


4 posted on 03/20/2015 2:58:12 PM PDT by BerniesFriend (Sarah Palin-"Lord knows she's attractive" says bitter Andrea Mitchell and the rest of the MSM)
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To: thetallguy24

Technically, he misspoke. However, since he is an MD, I’m sure Paul knows quite a bit about biology.


5 posted on 03/20/2015 2:58:42 PM PDT by rbg81
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To: thetallguy24

I’d say an MD is effectively a biology degree for the purposes of discussion with someone who has an English degree.


6 posted on 03/20/2015 2:59:08 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: thetallguy24

A nephew of mine was admitted to law school without an undergraduate degree. I have to assume that it must be a common thing that is done. My nephew lacked only a few hours of study to get his undergraduate degree but is now a successful ambulance chaser! ;-)


7 posted on 03/20/2015 3:00:35 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I do?)
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To: thetallguy24
I'll stick with Cruz.

Cruz stole much of Rand Paul's thunder when he adopted the same position on pot.

8 posted on 03/20/2015 3:03:27 PM PDT by Ken H (DILLIGAF)
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To: spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

There’s nothing wrong with what he did at the time at all. What is wrong is that he lied about having a degree.


9 posted on 03/20/2015 3:03:53 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: thetallguy24

Rand Paul is a medical school graduate with a license o practice medicine.Although a medical degree may not be,strictly speaking,a biology degree,it certainly certifies that the holder has a strong knowledge of human biology.


10 posted on 03/20/2015 3:05:06 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Obama;A Low Grade Intellect With Even Lower Morals)
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To: Pearls Before Swine
I’d say an MD is effectively a biology degree for the purposes of discussion with someone who has an English degree.

Or journalism. It's more of a biology degree than a degree in geology or history. (Arguably, it's also a real degree in gender studies.)

11 posted on 03/20/2015 3:05:15 PM PDT by Sooth2222 ("In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve." - Joseph de Maistre, 1753-1821)
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To: thetallguy24

a medical degree is essentially a study of biology


12 posted on 03/20/2015 3:05:32 PM PDT by 4rcane
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To: trisham
interesting, thought you had to have an undergraduate degree to get into medical school.

But since medicine is the study of human biology along with many other areas of study, I think Senator Paul is correct.

13 posted on 03/20/2015 3:06:22 PM PDT by Lockbox
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To: Pearls Before Swine

lol.


14 posted on 03/20/2015 3:07:03 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Lockbox

I don’t agree. He either has a degree or he doesn’t. It was a lapse of judgement to have claimed otherwise.


15 posted on 03/20/2015 3:08:41 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: thetallguy24

Sen. Paul is a doctor. How did he get there without an undergraduate degree?


16 posted on 03/20/2015 3:09:18 PM PDT by TBP (trash only")
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To: thetallguy24

Look - Rand Paul is not ignorant. He’s smart, and he’s educated. He just happens to be stupid - a LOT !


17 posted on 03/20/2015 3:10:27 PM PDT by Sirius Lee (All that is required for evil to advance is for government to do "something")
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To: trisham
What is wrong is that he lied about having a degree.

I'm not a Rand Paul fan, and certainly not a fan of either lies or of Rand's father, but this is not a lie. Many people consider medicine to be a part of biology. The difference between the literal truth and his literal words, even for those who do not consider medicine to be part of biology, is not worth the time needed to clarify a peripheral detail. I've "lied" about my degrees too, claiming a high degree on my resume two full days before it was awarded, but after completing all requirements.

18 posted on 03/20/2015 3:12:31 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: thetallguy24
I'll stick with Cruz.

Me, too. I am sick to death of ambush journalism and very selective investigations (i.e. only of pols with whom one disagrees), but frankly if it helps Cruz at Paul's expense then I'm OK with it.

Strictly speaking, Paul lied. Realistically, being a licensed MD, he knows more about biology that 99.9% of the people on the planet - good enough to have an intelligent discussion about it on policy grounds, and then quite a bit more.

19 posted on 03/20/2015 3:13:24 PM PDT by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt)
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To: thetallguy24

How could you get a biology degree twice in one day?


20 posted on 03/20/2015 3:13:32 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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