Posted on 06/08/2009 10:25:09 AM PDT by lewisglad
Last week, when introducing Ronald Reagan's son, Michael, to a crowd in Anchorage, Alaska, Gov. Sarah Palin delivered a speech that made news for its stinging criticism of President Obama's economic stimulus package. Further analysis of the speech, however, suggests that Palin lifted many of its central ideas, and the way they were worded, from fellow conservative (and presumptive competitor in the 2012 race for president) Newt Gingrich.
It appears that much of Palin's text was inspired by an article that Gingrich and Craig Shirley published in 2005 in the Manchester Union Leader, titled "Republicans Need to Relearn Lessons of the Reagan Revolution." As dissected by the Huffington Post's Geoffrey Dunn, the similarities between the Gingrich/Shirley piece and Palin's remarks indicate that she relied heavily on the article when preparing her own remarks. (She even acknowledged, "Recently, Newt Gingrich, he had written a good article about Reagan.") Here, then, is a list of before and after (or after and before, to be more accurate) comparisons:
Palin: We have to remember that Ronald Reagan never won any arguments in Washington. He won the arguments by resonating with the American people.
Gingrich/Shirley: Reagan never won an argument in Washington. Reagan won his arguments in the country with the American people.
More:
Palin: Remember this? His vision for the Cold War? We win, they lose.
Gingrich/Shirley: On the inevitability of the Soviet Union, Reagan responded with a then shocking vision for the Cold War -- "we win, they lose."
And more:
Palin: First, I think what we're going to learn tonight via Michael [Reagan] is that Ronald Reagan's ideas were the right ideas and all we have to do is look back at his record, his economic record and his national security record to know that his ideas were right.
Gingrich/Shirley: What should Americans learn from this remarkable man and his remarkable Presidency?... The "right" ideas really matter (the left was wrong and Reagan was right about virtually every major public policy issue and the historic record is clear for those willing to look at it).
And more:
Palin: And with detente, speaking of detente, he used two words: "Evil Empire."
Gingrich/Shirley: Reagan replaced the entire vision of detente with two vivid words: "Evil Empire."
Dunn goes on to cite six more strikingly similar passages from Palin's speech to show that a whole lot of cutting and pasting went into its preparation. Accused of plagiarizing the Gingrich and Shirley article, Palin's lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, responded: "It is abundantly clear in context, and even in subcontext, that the overview of President Reagan's legacy was attributed to Newt Gingrich."
True, Palin did mention Gingrich twice in the speech, but why was Palin so dependent on his (and Shirley's) analysis of "The Gipper" that she had to lift its wording so often? And why not highlight each and every passage in the speech that relied on Gingrich/Shirley with a clause like, "As Gingrich and Shirley wrote..."?
Plagiarism is a recurrent problem in politics. Joe Biden has done it. Barack Obama has been accused of the same (though on a much smaller scale). Perhaps this is a condition of our modern world, in which salient information is but a click away.
As yet, we have no comment form Gingrich on the borrowing of his old article. Should he be flattered, offended, or both?
Who’s she supposed to quote? Barry Obama?
So I do not get it this is all in Public domain what is the big deal?
Now please correct me if my 4th grade English lesson was not accurate..but doesn’t plagiarism mean when someone takes words from someone else and use them as their own without giving that person any credit...Sarah not only said Newt’s name FIVE different times, but actually said “I read Newt Gingrich said this about Ronald Reagan” she said that repeatedly..that isn’t plagiarism, that’s acknowledging the guy..WOW the left are so freakin retarded..when Ann Coulter said liberalism was a mental illness SHE WAS RIGHT..these people are SICK
It looks like the 2011/2012 primary is already underway...
Yo, you morons - Palin said twice in her speech that she was paraphrasing Newt’s article. It isn’t plagarism if the original source is attributed, but don’t let that stop the Palin-bashers.
When sniveling chronic losers attack!..
Plagiarism
1. the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.
2. something used and represented in this manner.
Only our Sarah could attribute her words to Newt and still be guilty of plagiarizing from Newt. The left hates her! [I haven't firmly decided my vote, but that is another good reason to support Governor Palin.]
Reagan, Palin, Gingrich: They all say the same things about bad democrat / communist ideas. What is the problem?
Palin: Remember this? His vision for the Cold War? We win, they lose.
Gingrich/Shirley: On the inevitability of the Soviet Union, Reagan responded with a then shocking vision for the Cold War — “we win, they lose.”
Seems like both are quoting Reagan.
This piece didn't happen to be written by Carl Cameron, did it? SHEESH, I just got through reading the childish stuff about how Palin is planning to upstage Mr. Newt at the NRSC, some *insider* charge -- these people are so dang foolish, it's truly pathetic.
She cited Gingrich five times according to her lawyer, not two that the liberals state.
And yet, 0bama can revise history, make all manner of false claims, yet he is touted as “sort of god.” Brudder!!
This was written by a David Knowles, sounds like Sarah Palin isn’t one of his favorites.
Robert Hook published Newton's laws of motion, without attribution. Of course, Hook published them nine years before Newton, so attribution would have required prescience on Hook's part. Hook bore a life-long grudge against Newton for not acknowledging his contribution to “Newton's Laws”. In fact the whole apple falling from a tree story may have been an invention by Newton, since the episode occurred years before Hook's book.
Newt who?
Right?
“Ask not what your country can do for you...”
Visit the Kennedy website there’s some great stuff on this phrase. I thought it originated during WW1, but apparently the earliest reference they found was the mid-1800’s.
Hi. I'm David Knowles and I'm a metrosexual.
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