Right after tonight's convention festivities were over, people on social media began to notice that Melania Trump's speech was oddly familiar.
CORRECTION: Melania stole a whole graph from Michelle's speech. #GOPConvention
WATCH: https://t.co/8BCOwXAHSy pic.twitter.com/zudpDznGng— Jarrett Hill (@JarrettHill) July 19, 2016
As you'll see from MSNBC's mashup above, they are identical with the exception of two words. Melania left out the words "and dignity" from her speech. Otherwise, they're exactly the same.
MSNBC pundits jumped on it. Lawrence O'Donnell outright called it plagiarism. Steve Schmidt said it was incompetent. Meanwhile, Joy Ann Reid absolutely ripped the campaign and the pundits for giving Melania Trump a pass on this, given that she volunteered that she wrote the speech herself. Reid pointed out that no media would have given Michelle Obama a pass on that, but they seem to be willing to gloss over her claim of writing it in favor of blaming some unnamed speechwriter.
Regardless, that portion of the speech was lifted from their arch-rival's wife -- the current First Lady of the United States.
Well played. That's what they'll talk about tomorrow. Not the hatefest. Melania Trump's speech plagiarism.
Update: The Trump campaign may possibly have released the most bizarre statement ever on this:
Trump campaign issues statement on Melania Trump speech in wake of plagiarism accusations. https://t.co/yWjPz5OU4F pic.twitter.com/KqFff5hDDg
— ABC News (@ABC) July 19, 2016
So, she included "fragments" of other speeches, including one from Michelle Obama? Without credit? Alrighty then.
