Preshow homework: Read the Civil Rights Act of 1964

News Type: Event — Thu May 20, 2010 4:23 PM EDT

By Laura Conaway

Scott County, Mississippi, I think. Photo by Sarah Goodyear

Rand Paul bought himself a world of trouble last night with his objections to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today Paul, Kentucky's new Republican nominee for Senate, announced that he does indeed support the Civil Rights Act.
Here's the thing -- Paul told us he's not all that familiar with it. "To tell you the truth," he said last night, "I haven't really read all through it because it was passed 40 years ago and hadn't been a real pressing issue on the campaign. . ."
Famous last words, right? I'm betting a bunch of us have never read the full law, same as Paul, so it's tonight's homework. This Act

To enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the Attorney General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes.

As you might imagine, we'll have much more about Rand Paul and the Civil Rights Act on the show tonight. See you at 9 Eastern. Don't be late.