The video of Michelle Obama giving a speech in 2008 and Melania Trump giving her speech last night shows many word-for-word phrases in both speeches. Too many to be coincidence. Trump has to get in front of this and protect his wife. Someone should have vetted the speech before putting her out there. She did a GREAT job. The words were not hers. What would you do to fix it? Why?
I'm not interested in who she is, what she is or what she says Rosie. She's a patsy, nothing more. What is of interest is that this was an error a schoolchild wouldn't make, yet it was made, and at the RNC no less, and sent to over 30 million viewers.
That's a monumental cock up. If you want to be President, or Prime Minister, or any responsible job really, monumental cock ups are not what you should be showing people. As to who exactly authorised the speech, that's a question I don't expect to get an honest answer to. Word from inside the Trump camp says Manafort is responsible for vetting all speeches, but I wonder if it's as simple as that.
It is both amusing and concerning. This is Trump's team that has done this and it raises serious questions about the people Trump has in place around him. Given that he appoints them, there are questions about Trump too. It doesn't stop there either.
It doesn't take 5 minutes of casual searching to establish that Manafort is an able man with the ethical standards of a polecat. Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly was a by-word for amoral money making activities for the better part of 20 years. The list of international undesirables represented by this firm is a long one and Trump must surely have known Manafort's history. If he didn't, why not? And if he did, why appoint the man?
So, I have had my reservations about Trump's ability and/or character confirmed somewhat. Manafort is a human stink-bug but if all that counts is winning, that's ok it seems. It's bad enough that Trump's team can't adequately organise the political equivalent of Little House on the Prairie. What the hell are they gong to get wrong when things get complicated and difficult?
Thank you for your thoughtful and informative analysis MrWitch. I disagree with your not caring about whom she is and I also don't think she is a patsy. I don't understand the antipathy folks have for the family of someone they dislike. She should not have been sent out there in front of millions of people to make a fool of herself like that. She should have been protected. I have read mixed accounts of her participation. One account is that she did not want to speak but was forced to because she was told it would be very helpful. But Mannafort said she came to them and asked to speak. So who is lying? I also saw/heard her say that she wrote the speech "with a little help" but also read that it was a team of writers, two of whom said the original speech contained NONE of the allegedly plagiarized words. So who is lying? Side by side showing Michelle Obama in 2008 and Melania Trump Monday night was devastating. No matter how much Mannafort insists there was no plagiarism it was obvious and irrefutable. Why any Republican would lift words from a speech by a Democrat is beyond me but strange things happen. I think Trump was not served well and his wife was treated horribly. As you know I am not a fan of Trump's . But I don't like to see his family treated unfairly and I think his kids are great. I saw/heard the speech Tiffany gave last night and she was very moving. I have no doubt his kids love him dearly. As far as I can tell there isn't a lemon among them which means he is and has been a very good father. That should count for something.
Getting back to the issue at hand. I think it was sabotage from inside the camp. While Trump's staff are not political savants (excluding Mannafort) and are all amateurs vetting the words the wife of the candidate for prez is going to say in front of millions of potential voters does not require a genius to figure out how important they are/will be. I think Mannafort should be fired. Some heads should roll. Of course that would require Trump to adnit he has some rotten apples in his orchard and I don't know if he will do that. If I were Melania I would have wanted him
to come to my defense immediately, excoriate those who were to blame and fire someone. I wonder how she feels?
Thank you for your thoughtful answer! :)
What you say is true pom. However as a Progressive Liberal Dem I am outraged that Melania was put in that position. She should have been protected but she was thrown out there to sink or swim. I don't care who wrote the speech...whether she was involved in doing so or not. SOMEONE should have vetted it completely and rev ised it so she wouldn't have had to be humiliated like that. I don't blame her at all. She was not served well and I think whomever it was that is responsible should be fired . OR whomever it was who was responsible for vetting speeches. She is NOT a professional politician. It seems the only one in that group surrounding Trump who is a political pro is
Mannafort and he sure didn't do a good job. The side-by-side running of what Michelle Obama said in 2008 and what Melania Trump said on Monday night was devastating. I don't think it should just slide and be written off as unimportant because I think it is important. So we disagree. Thank you for your reply and Happy Wednesday to thee! :)
((hugs)) Mea C
ulpa. Apologies. Thanks for the clarification excon and Happy Wednesday! :)
I disagree with thee GJ but so what? I think a candidate'
s family should be off limits. They are not the ones running for anything so why focus on them for attack? Different strokes. Thank you for your reply and Happy Wednesday! :)
Rosie, I thoroughly agree that she shouldn't have been sent to the lectern. As to whether Manafort is lying, my automatic assumption is that he is, because that's what he does. However, if he is lying, he's putting more pressure on Trump's wife and I would expect a response (ie, 'GET OUT!'). As he's still there either he's telling the truth or he's considered 'too important'. I suspect it's more likely to be the latter.
I firmly believe that politics should be about policies and has no place for jazzy wives/husbands, charity-doing children or anything but the policies. That politics has become a reality show in the US is undeniable, and sadly, watching Cameron's uncomfortable children during his farewell speech outside No. 10, it's obvious it's spreading here. I loathe that with a passion.
Well that is an honest answer Step . Different strokes. Thank you for your reply and Happy Wednesday. I've done some really dumb things but Jim has never been ashamed of me.Why? Because he loves me. So I hope your wife never makes you feel ashamed because it would probably hurt her
very deeply to know that.
Me too kiddo. Me too! Loathe perfectly reflects my feelings as well!
Pollitics is now a Twitter feed or Facebook catharsis. Why, how or when it devolved into that I have no idea but it obfuscates and confuses and ignores the real issues. And many folks don't seem to give rat's a** about it. Go figger! :( Thank you for your additional reply MrWitch! :)
