Discrimination is an inalienable right: The 5 juiciest revelations in the New Yorkers Rand Paul profile

The forthcoming issue of the New Yorker features an engrossing 12,000-word deep dive into Sen. Rand Pauls bid to take his libertarian conservative message mainstream ahead of a potential 2016 run for the White House.

The profile, by the magazines Ryan Lizza, rehashes familiar territory Ron Pauls racist newsletters, the notorious Aqua Buddha incident, and Pauls train wreck of an interview with Rachel Maddow on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But Lizza also unearths fascinating tidbits about Pauls past and what may lie in store for the senator.

From political tensions between Paul and his father to his long track record of support for legalized discrimination, here are five key takeaways from the piece.

Paul vs. Paul?

While nobody ever thought Ron Paul stood a serious chance of winning the GOP nod in either 2008 or 2012, Rand Paul would be a real contender if he entered the field. Thats largely because while Ron Paul fancies himself an anti-politician with a penchant for rhetoric that infuriated large segments of his own party his son is less keen to alienate GOP factions he would need to win in a general election, including more hawkish members of the party.

As Paul readies himself for a 2016 campaign, his advisers are eyeing the former Texas congressman warily. After Ron Paul defended Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Ukraine crisis, one aide to Rand Paul expressed frustration with Ron Pauls insistence on making impolitic statements.

Its good to see that the old man is still out there speaking his mind, the aide told Lizza.

Speaking with Lizza, Rand Paul himself held his father at arms length. Condemning media outlets for scrutinizing the Pauls ties to extreme right-wing and white supremacist figures, Rand Paul said that he was never associated with any of these people. Ever. Only through being related to my dad, who had association with them.

Clashes with religious conservatives in college

Rand Paul might be an anti-choice, anti-marriage equality, pro-creationist pol who makes appearances at venues like the Family Research Councils Values Voters Summit, but he was more antagonist than ally to religious conservatives while a student at Baylor University, Lizza reports.

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Discrimination is an inalienable right: The 5 juiciest revelations in the New Yorkers Rand Paul profile