UK Daily Mail

By Meghan Keneally

Reports that Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul stormed out of a CNN interview earlier this week seem to be dramatically over-exaggerated.

Raw footage of the Thursday interview shows that it lasted nearly ten minutes, which is not unusually brief on the campaign trail.

After discussing foreign policy, the payroll tax, negative advertisements, and super fund PACs, the interview concluded with three whole minutes of discussion on the issue of the incendiary racist and homophobic letters that were published in Mr Paul's name in the Eighties and Nineties. 

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Touchy: Earlier reports made it seem like Ron Paul stormed out of the interview, while the raw footage makes it seem like it was simply over

Initial news reports made it seem that Mr Paul recited his one line response- that he didn't write the letters, that he didn't read them until about a decade after they were published, and that he disavows them- and stormed off, tossing away his microphone and charging out.

The newly-released CNN footage shows something entirely different.

After fielding repeated questions about the controversial newsletters, Mr Paul began wrapping up the interview.

The footage was released on YouTube on the RonPaul.com channel and has the CNN logo in the bottom right hand corner.

Calm: People first reported that Mr Paul stormed out when the controversial newsletters came up, but really he answered 3 full minutes of questions

 

Understanding: Reporter Gloria Borger seemed sympathetic at the time but did not relent on her questions, nor did Mr Paul with his answers

The CNN reporter, Gloria Borger, didn't even seem particularly upset or surprised that the interview was ending considering the fact that she was beginning to repeat the same questions on the issue presumably in hopes of receiving a new answer.

The controversial newsletters in question were produced in 1993 and contained a series of racist statements, including 'We are constantly told that it is evil to be afraid of black men, it is hardly irrational.'

It also called Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a 'world-class philanderer,' and criticized the U.S. holiday bearing King's name as 'Hate Whitey Day'.

Other targets included AIDs suffers and pro-Israel supporters.

It was claimed that Mr Paul received $1million from the newsletters which were produced in his name and released while he was in a break from office.

Contradictions:  Paul is shown in 1995, left, and in 1988, right, discussing the contents of the controversial newsletters which began production in the 1980s

Under fire: Texas congressman Ron Paul, now a contender for the Republican nomination for president, is coming under increasing criticism

This alleged payment was discussed in the CNN interview, and Ms Borger questioned him about the payment which he said he knew nothing about.

'If you know I made money off of them then you know more about my finances than I do,' he said.

When Ms Borger pressed him on the issue that he might supposedly made a seven-figure sum for the work, he brushed it off as if he didn't know.

'I'd like to see that money,' he said hinting that he never had.

Mailer: The scare-mongering letter written in 1993 lists far-fetched conspiracy theories and urges the reader to 'save their family' by forking out for the $99

Controversy: The letter warning of a 'coming race war' and soliciting the 'racist' newsletters carries Ron Paul's signature, pictured

As Mr Paul leads in the Iowa race less than two weeks before the long-awaited first primary, the letters have caused quite the firestorm.

One that his competition is eager to embrace.

Fellow Republican nominee Newt Gingrich took a swipe on Friday night as he slammed the Texas congressman for his handling of the old letters.

'These things are really nasty, and he didn’t know about it, wasn’t aware of it,' Mr Gingrich  said.

'But he’s sufficiently ready to be president? It strikes me it raises some fundamental questions about him.'