Plagiargate – Whodunit?

[CajunBlazer]

Soon after Melania Trump walked off the stage at the Republican National Convention after giving an extremely well received speech in which she praised her husband Donald Trump, the wheels started to come off. Parts of her speech sounded very familiar to some people and if Michelle Obama was watching Melania on TV, she probably fell out of her chair. Word soon spread on the internet and soon thereafter to the news media that sections Melania’s speech appeared to have be taken almost word for word out of Michelle’s speech at the 2008 Democratic convention. The speech which Republicans were calling “the highlight of the evening” quickly became a real embarrassment. Not only did word “plagiarism” rear its ugly head, but stealing from Michelle Obama of all people? OMG! Someone would have to pay!

So who was responsible for the plagiarism? (And despite protests from the Trump camp to the contrary, it was plagiarism.) Even though Melina told several people early on that she wrote the speech herself, the witch hunt for the real culprit was on with vengeance. Former Trump campaign manager, Cory Lewandowski, and Republican National Committee Chair, Reince Priebus, publicly called for the speechwriter involved to be fired as did several other prominent Republicans.

This morning as the national media waited to find out whose head would roll, something unusual happened – absolutely nothing. No one got fired by the Trump campaign. Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, insisted that Melina’s words were her owned, not cribbed from anyone. He then mumbled something about it being all Hillary Clinton’s fault, and then went on to say that the Trump campaign would have nothing further to say about the matter.

Is this, as some suspect, just Trump and his campaign doubling down and pretending that nothing unusual has happened; “nothing to see here folks, move along”. Maybe, but I don’t think so.

Plagiargate – Whodunit?

[Cha]

1. I've been fascinated by this, Cajun..here's a great on article on who was the very 1st to Break it..

On Melania Trump’s plagiarism, a laid-off journalist watching in an L.A. Starbucks scooped everyone

As well as Axelrod seemed to remember Obama's speech, he apparently didn't notice that Trump had repeated some of her lines. In fact, the journalist widely credited as the first to document the apparent plagiarism, Jarrett Hill, wasn't at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland and wasn't even assigned to cover the convention at all. He was 2,000 miles away at a coffee shop in Los Angeles

snip//

The New York Times caught up with Hill, who described his discovery.

Mr. Hill, a television journalist who was recently laid off, said in an interview that one of Ms. Trump's lines — the words "strength of your dreams" — caught his attention as he was watching on his computer from a Starbucks in Los Angeles, juggling Facebook chats and browsing Twitter.

Mr. Hill, 31, found the clip of Mrs. Obama's speech online and noticed that parts of the two speeches sounded the same. He then realized that a larger portion appeared to have been borrowed as he continued to examine both.

"I thought, 'That's legit plagiarism,'" said Mr. Hill, who described himself as a supporter of President Obama. "'Someone took this piece and plugged in their own information.'"

snip//

Got it.

What's clear is that whoever wrote/copy-pasted Trump's speech figured the journalists covering the convention wouldn't notice. That turned out to be true. But the aide responsible for the speech didn't account for the out-of-work reporter in an L.A. Starbucks.

Jarrett Hill ‎@JarrettHill
Melania must’ve liked Michelle Obama’s 2008 Convention speech, since she plagiarized it.#GOPConvention #RNCinCLE
4:40 PM - 18 Jul 2016
3,222 3,222 Retweets 5,525 5,525 likes

Full Story!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/07/19/on-melania-trumps-plagiarism-a-laid-off-journalist-watching-in-an-l-a-starbucks-scooped-everyone/

Your analysis makes good sense.. trump inc definitely wants it to die a quick death.. I don't see that happening no matter how much they gaslight/ignore it.

This could all been so simply avoided if Melania had stuck to her story and not tried on First Lady Michelle's.. it didn't fit.

[CajunBlazer]

3. An out of work reporter.....

10 years ago she might well have gotten away with it. The reporter might have noticed it and told a few of his friends and that might have been the end of it or it would have taken so long to get out that it would have been old news.

But not today. If anyone notices it, everyone knows it almost immediately.

Bad cops have been beating up people ever since the first police force was formed and some guy with a badge and gun decided it gave it gave him the power he had been seeking all of his life over other human beings. But now that everyone has a video camera in their cell phone, for the first time there is real evidence of abuse of power.

It is harder to hide anything in these interconnected times.

I am fascinated with this story as well Cha. I love trying to figure out from external evidence what is going on in a closed group.

I also find it real interesting that some of DU have been defending Melania aggressively - perhaps it because they feel she was forced into giving the speech or because of a sense cf kinship with another woman.

[Cha]

4. Yes, a laid off tv reporter and it's only fitting that he's an Obama supporter who came to the

rescue and doing it so quickly.. making everyone else scramble. We're hoping Jarrett Hill gets a good job because of his major scoop.

I cannot believe anyone on a Democratic board would defend the lying and plagiarism from a racist, bigoted campaign that is based on nothing but lies. Why did Melania tell Matt Lauer she "wrote it with as little help as possible"? She didn't have to say that unless she wanted everyone to think Michelle's words were all her own.

The trump campaign insulted the intelligence of the American people by doing this.. it's telling who's getting sucked in. chris Christie & ben carson for two.. lol


Nerdy Wonka ‎@NerdyWonka
Irony is: A racist campaign plagiarizing the work of the Black First Lady.#FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes #RNCinCLE
https://twitter.com/hashtag/FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
4:50 AM - 19 Jul 2016
647 647 Retweets 736 736 likes

https://theobamadiary.com/2016/07/19/chat-away-842/

More DUers aren't defending it, though, thank goodness! Did you see that article about Eight grade teachers are grateful to have such a clear cut case of plagiarism so as to teach their students what Not to do?!

Cajun

[CajunBlazer]

5. Totally disingenuous!

On CNN this morning, Cris Cuomo told Trump's campaign manager, Paul Manafort, that he (Manafort) was lying when he continues to say that the speech reflected Melania own words when it was so obviously plagiarism. Cuomo went on to point out that this is part of a continuing pattern of lying by the Trump campaign when they denie what obviously happen like when Trump made fun of a handicapped reporter. I have rarely seen a TV news personality get in a political operatives face like that, though he did with some grace. Chris also pointed out that Trump's statements failed fact checking 85% of the time.

I think the media is getting sick and tired of the Trump campaign's continual lies to them while the bashing Hillary for not being truthful. All I can say is - it's about time someone called these idiots out.

[Cha]

6. Wow.. that's really good to hear about, thank you! Good for Chris Cuomo!

I don't imagine Team Crooked was too happy about that. lol

Denying plagiarism ever happened is an incredibly stupid tactic to take when it will only lengthen the scandal. People will keep checking to see for themselves side by side why there are accusations of plagiarism when trump categorically denies it. There are never ending possibilities of memes.

It's been said they're throwing Melainia under the bus by this ploy.

I forget who.. but I read there were two prominent repubs at the convention who said they should apologize and fire whomever was responsible and move on. they evidently knew it was plagiarized. Was Rince one of them?

[CajunBlazer]

8. The latest that a Trump employee has come forth and fallen on her sword

As best I understand it this employee was helping Melanie with the speech and provided Melania with talking points including what phrases had been used in other similar situations. Supposedly the employee supplied the (plagiarized) section from Michelle's speech with out telling Melania where it came from. [If you believe the underline words, I (literally) have some swamp land in Louisiana to sell you.]

Melania then used the (plagiarized) phrases in the speech and the employee says she didn't catch it on the final draft.

All of this was described in a letter of resignation from the employee to Trump which the Trump campaign has published. Trump rejected the letter of resignation, so again no one was fired, because he says, "honest mistakes happen". (I assume the employee will be eventually richly rewarded sometimes in the future for getting Melania off of the hook and explaining this as an "innocent mistake"

Now maybe you believe this entire story, I don't, but at least Trump and his campaign now realizes that they can't bulldoze their way through every Trump (or Trump family) caused crisis by lying by saying it didn't happen and hoping people will forget about it.

[radical noodle]

9. I think Melania did it herself

Just my personal opinion. I don't buy the story about the ballet/english major doing it. She was the easiest person to throw under the bus. That story took way too long to come out.

[Cha]

14. Ha! I hadn't heard that yet.. Of course I don't believe it for a second.. so they are admitting it

That's a long way from their previous stance of.. they're not the same.. it had nothing to do with what FL Michelle said.

There is still the lie that Melania said she "wrote it with as little help as possible".

I don't, but at least Trump and his campaign now realizes that they can't bulldoze their way through every Trump (or Trump family) caused crisis by lying by saying it didn't happen and hoping people will forget about it.

Yes! Good to know.. thank you, Cajun.

Just found this..

lol

[CajunBlazer]

16. I love Colbert - and the Trump camp lied for two days

until they found and some unknown "employee" to throw herself under the bus, probably for a big raise and bonus later. In the process of producing this patsy, Trump campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his communications director out to dry and twisting in the wind because both of them have been exposed for lying to the media repeatedly over the last couple or days. What a bunch of amateurs lead by a narcissistic, blowhard egomaniac could make any campaign staff look bad.

And in case I wasn't clear earlier I just want to say I think Steven Colbert is easily the funniest man alive. Thanks Cha!

[Cha]

17. Yep, they Lied for two days until the pressure from the Social Media & internet became

too much pressure for them to bear.

Not having seen any corp media.. my impression is that cnn did a good job of exposing this, too.



You're welcome for Colbert, Cajun~

[BooScout]

2. I did hear him blame it on Hillary....

It just cracked me up. Ya can't make this stuff up....it just gets more ludicrous with each passing hour.

[ladym55]

7. And it's annoying to hear local TV reporters hedge that it isn't really plagiarism

As a retired writing teacher, I have a real urge to explain plagiarism to them. There are so many good teaching resources out there to help the little dears.

I really think that the Trump campaign thinks we are such rubes that they can do whatever--and in too many cases, they have a point. And that is scary.

[Her Sister]

10. Has Melania & Hubby apologized for stealing FLOTUS words?

Apology is merited! They are grown ups. Ought to own up!

[fleabiscuit]

11. Try proving "Meredith McIver" is real. Just saying...

[displacedtexan]

12. Hmmm. Facebook and twitter accounts started YESTERDAY?

No linkdin page. Tweets confirm that her photo belongs to a pilates teacher in Florida. This is really getting weird.

[fleabiscuit]

13. Very weird. No real images that I can find. FB page not complete.

Gee, something fishy coming from the Dump camp. Imagine that, f'ing grifters.

[Cha]

15. Here's her bullshit statement.. have you seen it?

https://theobamadiary.com/2016/07/20/the-presidents-op-ed-on-merrick-garland/

I just found this.. eee gods.. "blah blah blah.. trump's historic campaign.." Yeah, so historic when a reality tv star gets the gop nominee 4 potus.

flea~

[fleabiscuit]

18. Oh yes. And wow, do you have the rush of deja vu all over again like I'm having?

Weird, I think someone backed up the cosmic cd again.

If they signed that letter "Love Fleabiscuit" it would be more real than the name they are using, IMHO.

[CajunBlazer]

19. Okay, I missed this part of the story

Last edited Thu Jul 21, 2016, 09:34 AM - Edit history (1)

So I would appreciate it if someone would bring me up to date. Surely they would be so stupid as to attribute the letter to a fictitious person. It wouldn't take the media long to debunk that and it would be huge embarrassment for the the campaign. Surely not even the Trump minions are that stupid. Right?

Edit: Evidently they are not that stupid. I found this:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/07/20/yes_meredith_mciver_is_a_real_person_here_s_proof.html

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/07/20/yes_meredith_mciver_is_a_real_person_here_s_proof.html

Obviously the women exist. Is this SNAFU her fault, I have serious doubts, but I doubt we will never know for sure.

[fleabiscuit]

20. Here is all you get from the first link:

"First, there is no proof whatsoever that McIver is not a real human being."

That's the heart of that argument; prove a negative.

She doesn't exist.

Even better, I'm her! LOL

[fleabiscuit]

21. It's getting traction...

I poked Bill Palmer a couple of times yesterday asking him to prove she is real. Along with the rumors online it seems he got interested as well.

Trump blames Melania’s plagiarism on Meredith McIver, who doesn’t appear to be a real person

http://www.dailynewsbin.com/news/trump-blames-melanias-plagiarism-on-meredith-mciver-but-it-appears-no-such-person-exists/25324/

[CajunBlazer]

22. fleabiscuit - I hope that the Trump campaign has made another huge error

All kind of stupid BS gets traction on the internet, but most people live in the real world and after getting caught with their pants down around their ankles and after taking two days to figure out the best response, in my humble opinion there no way in hell McIver is not a real person and exactly who they says she is in the Trump organization.

Now is her story true? (I doubt it is is all true) Or is it not her fault and she's taking one for the team? (Probably, in which case she will be richly rewarded) We will probably never know, but I promise you that while they apparently aren't very bright, they are not stupid enough to attribute a letter to a non-existent person. Too easy for the media to demand to speak to that person and/or to expose a fraud and they know it.

As a friend of mine from Mississippi would say, "Quit barking up that tree, there ain't no coon up there."