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Melania Trump’s convention speech plagiarized Michelle Obama

Melania Trump’s convention speech plagiarized Michelle Obama

Melania Trump took the stage last night at the Republican National Convention to give a heartwarming speech that might seem a little familiar. Why? Parts of it were copied almost verbatim from Michelle Obama’s speech to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

From Trump’s speech last night:

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 lives. 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.”

From Michelle Obama’s speech 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 to 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.”

In an interview with Matt Lauer, Trump said she wrote the speech herself. The Trump campaign, however, put out a statement on the speech that said it was written by a team of writers with some (plagiarized) help from Trump.

“In writing her beautiful speech, Melania’s team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that included her own thinking. Melania’s immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech, which made it such a success,” according to Senior Communications Advisor Jason Miller.

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