• Bradley Byrne the political weather vane.
• Drivers License Language Requirements

When some Americans believe the current president is a communist cult leader trying to brainwash the nation’s schoolchildren, and other Americans want the last president to be dragged off his ranch in handcuffs, it is time to reassess the state of our union. So may I make a modest proposal. There is a way to end the bitter bickering over health care, affirmative action, abortion, religion in the public square, taxation, torture, and the proper role of government. It is called secession. Yes, I know: Splitting the U.S. into two nations is a bit extreme. But extremism in the defense of America is no vice. And since we’re already segregating ourselves by what we watch, listen, and read, why not go all the way?

Think of the possibilities. In a new nation fashioned out of the current red states-call it, for the sake of argument, Limbaughland-the federal tax rate would be cut to 10%, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security would be abolished, abortion would be illegal, gays would be closeted again, and Christianity would be the official state religion. Anyone could buy any kind of gun, no questions asked. In the current blue states, which we will call ObamaNation, the federal tax rate would top out at 90%; all employers would institute quota systems for minorities, women and less-abled persons; and you’d get your health care form a single-payer system like Canada’s. Fast food and guns would be banned, while gay marriage and marijuana would be legal. Voila! No more rancor, leaving only one remaining problem: What would we all feel so aggrieved about?”

-William Falk, editor of The Week

The rest of this post contains some spoilers regarding his cameo and his response.

Worst Previews has a good description of what happens in the scene:

The scene with Paul, filmed in early 2008, occurs about halfway through the movie, after Bruno gets the idea that you have to make a sex tape to become famous.

Cut to a hotel suite where Bruno sits across from Ron Paul. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, a light blows out on the set. Bruno apologizes for the technical difficulties and suggests that he and Paul wait in the other room while the crew fixes the light.

The other room, it turns out, is a bedroom. The lighting is low, and the film is now grainy — not unlike a sex tape — as it cuts to a hidden spy camera. There’s a spread of Champagne and strawberries and caviar on a table.

Bruno tells Paul to make himself comfortable. Paul sits down on the bed. Bruno turns on some music and starts dancing. Paul is visibly uneasy but doesn’t say anything at first. He picks up a newspaper and pretends to read it.

Finally, Paul asks what’s going on. “Don’t worry about it, Dr. Paul,” says Bruno, who then unbuckles his belt and drops his pants. At that point, Paul snaps up and storms out of the room. As Paul is walking away, you can hear him say, several times, something like, “This guy is a queer!”

The Huffington Post has an interview (complete with audio) of an interview with Ron Paul regarding him being duped by Sacha Baron Cohen. You can read the interview below or check out the link for the audio version.

PAUL: We were in a studio situation. I wasn’t invited to a hotel room. A studio situation where they had a lot of lights burn and blaze and all kinds of commotion. They said — better get in this back room here. And all of a sudden, I was in this room, which they had it all fixed up as a bedroom. So, getting me there was sort of dishonesty. Getting me into the interview.

I was expecting an interview on Austrian economics. So, that didn’t turn out that way. But, by the time he started pulling his pants down, I, What is going on here? I ran out of the room. This interview has ended.

When this all gets out, I’m probably going to have to apologize to my supporters because I think most of them are going to figure out why in the world didn’t I sock this guy in the nose?

SLIWA: You ran out. But, did you actually see the original Borat film where he pulls these kinds of stunts?

PAUL: No, no. Movies I used to see are ‘Sound of Music.’ Tonight, I was sitting here watching ‘Gone with the Wind.’ So, I don’t watch that kind of stuff. And I understand he makes a lot of money. But, if he makes a lot of money, I have to permit the market to do this.

I don’t like the idea that he lies his way into an interview. That to me is fraud. But, the fact that he has raunchy material and people buy into it, it’s sort of sad that that is a reflection of our culture. To me, it’s a real shame that people are going to reward him with millions and millions of dollars for being so crass.

SLIWA: And you know he might actually end up using that piece to promote this upcoming film.

DR. RON PAUL: That means I’m helping him make money!

Part 1:

Part 2: