While answering a question about racial disparities in the criminal-justice system on Monday during the GOP presidential debate in South Carolina, Ron Paul segued into the Iraq War, adding that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have opposed it because he was against Vietnam. Paul also told debate moderator Juan Williams that he and King would be in agreement on Iraq.

Mediaite reports:

“Do you see racial disparities in arrests and convictions as a problem?” Williams asked, to which Rep. Paul replied that there was a disparity -- “it’s not that it’s my opinion -- it’s very clear ... blacks and minorities involved with drugs are arrested disproportionately.” He added that “rich white people don’t get the death penalty very often,” and that “most of these are victimless crimes.”

While Rep. Paul said he didn’t see how “we can do a whole lot about it,” he did [note] that he believed the Drug War was a source of much of the tension. “This is a major thing going on and it unfairly hits minorities,” he suggested, adding “I’m quite sure Martin Luther King would be in agreement with this,” and, later “Martin Luther King would be in agreement with me on the wars,” because of his stance on Vietnam.

Watch footage from the debate here:

Come on. Ron Paul's position on the criminal-justice system is ripped straight from the playbook of the NAACP and the ACLU, to name a few organizations that have been fighting this cause forever. Where was he during the fight for Troy Davis' life? His message is not original and rings hollow, especially given the questions about his vote for the MLK holiday and the racist newsletters published under his name. And since when did he begin to channel King?

Read more at Mediaite.

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