July 18, 2016

Melania Trump's Speech Cheat Exposed

Melania Trump's convention words Monday night echoed those of Michelle Obama 8 years ago, casting a pall over convention's opening night. 

Donald Trump introduces Melania. | Patch photo

CLEVELAND, OH — A familiar figure in silhouette emerged as Queen's "We Are the Champions" filled the arena.

No time for losers ...

And with that lyric, the lights came up on Donald Trump, who told the cheering Republican conventioneers "thank you very much, we're gonna win, we're gonna win so big." Then he introduced his wife Melania Trump for her first significant, nationally televised speech.

But the Trump campaign was losing big time Tuesday morning as everyone is talking about that speech — and the passages cribbed from Michelle Obama's address to the 2008 Democratic convention.

Speechwriters reportedly had been working with Mrs. Trump, an immigrant born in Sevnica, Yugoslavia, for several weeks. This was a stressful moment for her, one she reluctantly took on, too. Democratic strategist David Axelrod told CNN speechwriters worked with Michelle Obama before her speech, too.

Perhaps they were the same speechwriters? 😂 Nah.

Judge Melania's words for yourself:

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 me to show the values and morals in my daily life. That is the 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.

Compare them to those of the current first lady.

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.

Wonder what her speechwriters were thinking.

Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort went on CBS Tuesday morning and said "she knew exactly what she was doing" and brushed away questions about the passage.

"We're comfortable that the words she used are words personal to her," Manafort said later at a press briefing in the convention center. "To think that she would be doing anything that would be unnoticed is absurd."

He criticized the media's focus on "50 words" in a 1,400-word speech, saying she's being unfairly criticized.

"We think Melania's speech was a great speech," Manafort said. "Obviously Michelle Obama feels similar sentiments toward her family."

Melania Trump had told Matt Lauer, just before taking the stage, "I wrote it ... with a little help."

But did she know those particular words came out of Michelle Obama's experience growing up in Chicago?

Primetime convention speeches essentially are big commercials designed to sell the candidate, and as such are typically thoroughly vetted. Her speechwriter(s) and the campaign subjected her and her husband to national embarrassment. 

That this obvious cribbing took place is seen among campaign pros as another worrisome sign the Trump organization is not up to the task of a major campaign.

Melania Delivered

Upon delivery, however, the speech provided a glamorous, uplifting moment Monday night in prime time, one which allowed Republicans who like Trump and those looking for a reason to like Trump to go home with smiles on their faces until news of the Obama similarities broke overnight.

The 46-year-old former model and businesswoman strode on stage looking in every way like the model she once was and told her story of working in high fashion in Milan and Paris, then arriving in the United States 20 years ago and becoming an American citizen 10 years ago.

To much applause, she described her citizenship as "the greatest privilege on planet Earth."

Her introduction to the Republican Party faithful has been long awaited. If she becomes first lady, she'd be the first president's wife born outside the United States since Louisa Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president.

She thanked the people who protect our freedom, our veterans, and drew special attention to an elder statesman of the Republican Party in attendance, Bob Dole, the former U.S. senator from Kansas, World War II veteran and onetime presidential candidate.

She spoke of the 16 others who vied for the Republican nomination, people her husband mocked and heaped insults upon for the better part of a year, saying they are all talented.

"They deserve respect and gratitude from all of us," Melania Trump said, making a gesture bigger than her husband has been capable of thus far.

She spoke of Trump's love for his country, his love of family, though she offered little in the way of insight into an unseen side of the billionaire businessman who's making his first run for office.

"I can assure you he's moved by this great honor," she said of his nomination.

She promised there was a kind side to her husband, which we would see because he loves this country so much. And she promised the campaign for the White House would be spirited.

"It would not be a Trump contest without excitement and drama."

When her remarks were over, Donald Trump returned to the stage, traded kisses with his wife, and then the two waved and walked off the grand stage arm in arm. They left the arena together.

Then Trump tweeted (of course).

After midnight, as her speech and its striking similarities to Michelle Obama's was thoroughly vetted, the moment became "absolutely incredible" for entirely different reasons as Twitter lit up with jokes and snark and Facebook fed memes to followers.

Glowing Reaction Immediately After

Among the Republican delegates at the convention in Cleveland, however, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who thought this speech kerfuffle on the second day of the convention amounted to anything more than a tempest in a teapot.

"If that's what everybody's complaining about at this convention, then we're having a pretty mild convention," Christian Goedde, a Texas delegate, told Patch.

"It's kind of sad that the media focuses the attention on something that's a non-issue," said Kerri Seekins-Crowe, a Montana delegate, "instead of what (women) really have accomplished."

Political pros, including Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus, when confronted with the problem Tuesday morning, said her speechwriter should be fired. CNN reported that Donald Trump was furious that his wife was embarrassed.

As pundits picked apart the speech and wondered about a campaign organization that would let such a thing happen, the campaign and proxies blamed Hillary Clinton for fanning the flames of controversy.

The Trump campaign issued this statement:

"In writing her beautiful speech, Melania's team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking. Melania’s immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success. 

 

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