By most accounts, Melania Trump’s speech to the GOP Convention was a success – until charges flew that she had plagiarized a speech given by Michelle Obama to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  First noted on Twitter by Jarrett Hill, a small portion of Melania’s speech bore a strong resemblance to Michelle’s.  Here is a side-by-side comparison:

And here is the text of each.

Here’s what Michelle Obama said in 2008:

And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them.


And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children — and all children in this nation — to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.

Here’s Melania’s:

From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, and you do what you say and keep your promise. That you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily life.


That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son. And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.

MSNBC’s Morning Joe crew is aghast and reporting up a storm about who in the Trump organization was responsible, whose head might roll, and even tales of family conflict.  The conclusion, foreordained, is that the campaign is understaffed, badly managed, a mess.  And Paul Manafort is making things worse.

Media conventional wisdom sees an opportunity to confirm its judgment that outsiders are just not up to the task.  And if the media has its way, this will be the scandal, far more important than any damage Hillary Clinton has done to the national security.

But I doubt this will go very far.  Maybe the Trump campaign will learn a valuable lesson about how to check speeches before they are given.  If we take a step back from the obsessions of insiders, the phrases that are so similar are banal platitudes, heard in graduation speeches for decades.

If Melania plagiarized Michelle, then Michelle plagiarized others.  Compare Michelle’s words with the advice found in a 1992 book about doing business in Africa:

Michelle in 2008:

And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them.

Rob Marsh in 1992:

... is based upon the application of certain basic truths: that integrity is all important, that your word is your bond, that if you owe a person money you pay him back, that you work hard, enjoy what you do and show a loyalty to those with whom you work and do business. He instilled in me simple, clear cut values and a will to succeed.

Do the political swells so concerned with this “scandal” really think that anyone’s vote would be swayed by whether Melania voiced the same bromides as Michelle?

Update: Yeah, plagiarism is a very serious thing in speeches:

Update. Ethel C. Fenig writes:

So today you posted about about Melania and plagiarism but skimmed over the serious instance of VP Biden's (D of course) active multiple plagiarism but neglected your own fine post from 8 years ago.  

He's a vice president in government and has a history of plagiarism. She's a wife reading someone else's words (sabotage or sloppiness?) which received her input and final approval.  Big difference.

I think you should return to that post and keep pounding on Biden as the every diminishing msm and other libs aren't going to let Melania's fine speech go.

Hat tip: Andrew