Did Obama plagiarize? Clinton team says yes

[Raven]

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8M6x1H08aFc&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8M6x1H08aFc&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign wants everyone to see a campaign speech made in 2006 by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick just before he won that office and a recent speech by Sen. Barack Obama.

In his speech Patrick responded to the charge by his opponent that he was a fine speaker capable of tossing off inspirational words but not a politician with results. All words, no action.

Patrick responded by uttering some of the most famous words of American history: "We hold these truths to be self-evident" and "We have a dream" and saying, repeatedly, they were "just words" too. A very effective comeback.

So effective, in fact, that last night Obama used a similar formulation in Wisconsin two nights ago as you can see from the YouTube video.

"If you use somebody else's words or somebody else's idea, I believe you should credit them," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.,) a Clinton ally, in a teleconference being held right now "...When Sen. Obama uses them and doesn't credit their origin, those same words seem less inspiring..."http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/did_obama_plagiarize_clinton_t.html

[Sally]

Not serious enough to case damage to Obama.
Besides Obama has been contrite and said he made a mistake.

[Pops In]

To repeat "some of the most famous words of American history" is very far from plagiarism in my book. If the Clinton lot pushes this, they won't, er shouldn't be doing their campaign any favours, in my opinion. But then it is America.

[Raven]

To repeat "some of the most famous words of American history" is very far from plagiarism in my book. If the Clinton lot pushes this, they won't, er shouldn't be doing their campaign any favours, in my opinion. But then it is America.
I agree with you. I think this has made Hillary look very foolish, particularly as it turns out that Obama is good friends with Deval Patrick and Obama's speech was written with input from Patrick.

I do think Obama has a severe case of unoriginality and timid behavior, but I don't think he plagarized.

[Terrell]

What Raven said. Obama has Patrick's permission, it's not really plagarism when the other person has given you permission is it?