Melania Trump gave an impassioned speech at the opening night of the Republican National Convention. But her comments were marred by allegations of plagiarism due to striking similarities that were discovered between her speech and one delivered by Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention in 2008.
Trump’s campaign responded in a statement that her “immigrant experience and love for America shone through in her speech.†The statement didn’t mention Obama. “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,†said a Trump spokesman.
Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort denied the allegations. “To think that she would do something like that knowing how scrutinized her speech was going to be last night is just really absurd,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on New Day.
Here are some of the passages in Trump’s speech Monday night that smack of being plagiarized from Obama’s address to the DNC in 2008.
Mrs. Trump:
“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.â€
Mrs. Obama:
“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.â€
Mrs. Trump:
“I was born in Slovenia, a small, beautiful and then-Communist country in Central Europe. My sister, Ines, who is an incredible woman and a friend, and I were raised by my wonderful parents. My elegant and hard-working mother, Amalija, introduced me to fashion and beauty. My father, Viktor, instilled in me a passion for business and travel. Their integrity, compassion, and intelligence reflects to this day on me and for my love of family and America.â€
Mrs. Obama:
“And I come here as a daughter–raised on the South Side of Chicago by a father who was a blue-collar city worker and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me. My mother’s love has always been a sustaining force for our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity, her compassion, and her intelligence reflected in my own daughters.â€