By now you’ve heard the allegations that Melania Trump lifted some passages from last night’s convention speech from a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama.
A few lines from the speech seemed very similar to Obama’s speech to the DNC in 2008, though the subject matter was based on very common themes.
Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, called the allegations “just really absurd.”
Perhaps more importantly, President Obama seems to agree that the whole kerfuffle is simply silly.
In 2008, then-senator Barack Obama was accused by Hillary Clinton of plagiarizing a speech.
Via the New York Times (February 2008):
With the next round of voters set to weigh in on the Democratic presidential race, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign on Monday accused Senator Barack Obama of committing plagiarism in a weekend speech. Mr. Obama dismissed the charge as absurd and desperate.
Mr. Obama told reporters he should have credited Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, a friend, for a passage in a speech he delivered on Saturday in Milwaukee. But Mr. Obama said his rival was “carrying it too far.”
“Let’s see,” Mr. Obama said. “I’ve written two books. I wrote most of my speeches. I would add that I noticed Senator Clinton, on occasion, has used words of mine as well.”
During a debate, Obama also said “The notion that I had plagiarized from somebody who was one of my national co-chairs … I think, is silly.”
“This is where we start getting into silly season, in politics,” he added, “and I think people start getting discouraged about it.”
So there it is – Obama himself says the liberal media’s reaction to similar lines in a speech is nothing more than the “silly season in politics.”
As for Hillary? She was accused of stealing talking points and campaign lines from Bernie Sanders early on in this campaign.
Comment: Do you think it’s a big deal that Melania Trump’s speech had similar lines to Michelle Obama’s? Share your thoughts below.
