I looked at the relevant blocks, and there were parts of about 8 lines that were copied word for word. Are those common thoughts and platitudes? Absolutely. The structure was basically identical. Could speech writers follow a template on something like this? I don't know. I tried to run it through a plagiary checker last night and struggled because it was bringing up news articles related to the comparison of these two speeches.
Here's the thing, I don't blame Melania. The campaign said in a statement she worked with a team of writers. They said they took fragments that reflected her thinking. A speech writer could have lifted this part of the speech because it conveyed similar thoughts to Melania (and most Americans), changed some words, and thought it would be okay.
There are others who thought, even right here on FR, that possibly it was sabotage. It was extremely odd how quickly this Jarrett Hill fellow was able to recall Michelle Obama's 2008 speech. It appears he remembered it before even Googling based on his Twitter.
This was discussed on CNN and MSNBC last night, and the consensus seemed to be to just admit it and move forward. Melania wasn't getting the heat really. Many seemed to think it was a speech writer who did this, and a person who is a Clinton supporter on CNN said that letting the speech writer go would alleviate the problem.
Manafort makes it clear that Melania herself didn't plagiarize which I don't believe she did. I would blame the speech writer. Manfort makes it clear that Trump isn't firing anyone and adds to CBS,
"They're a couple of phrases. It's basically three places in the speech and its fragments of words," he said. "She knew what she was doing. And she never cribbed from another speech without acknowledging that she was quoting somebody else."
"We're talking about words like compassion, love of family, respect," Manafort added. "These are not words that are unique words, that belong to the Obamas."
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/paul-manafort-defends-melania-trumps-convention-speech/
You always seem very “concerned”.
Tempist in a teapot.
The Progressives are desperate.
The truth will be known if anyone involved with writing the speech was fired.
Ah-hahahahahaha. I love it. The lefty commies have been punk’d and it just doesn’t get any better than this...
Anything to deflect all the lies Hillary has told. The same game should be played with the liberals not attacking women, women haters, the game they play whenever Saint Hillary gets criticism.
for later
The Lib Media will do/say anything, ANYTHING, to demean and diminish the Trump campaign. They are afraid, and have reason to be.
Ask V-PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN what he thinks about Melania’s speech. He’s the real plagiarizer.
One has to wonder who’s side you are on.
Manafort’s explanation was obvious duh. “I love my mother, she is the salt of the earth and made me the person I am today” is not plagiarism it is common human experience.
The phrase “my word is my bond” did not belong to Michelle Obama.
Just silly.
We’re up against Hitlery the Criminal and the last 8 years of lawless socialism, and this is what people are worrying about. And we wonder why this country is screwed up.
Melania just put out a statement... here’s a segment...
four score and seven years ago...
no biggie.
It might turn out that the speechwriter was a Hillary plant. This would not surprise me at all.
More free publicity
Calm down.
Manafort and the writers are in DEEP TROUBLE!!!
I think they need to hire new speech writers. Fox played the two speeches side by side and it’s almost word for word. I can’t believe a professional speech writer wouldn’t at least modify the language to make it sound more unique. They aren’t even good at plagiarism, let alone speech writing.
Must’ve been a bang-up speech if this is all the Leftists have.
Who in the world would even read a Cow speech, let alone copy it?