Apparently, Sen. Obama has recently plagarized part of a speech from a political ally.

In other news, the online magazine Slate had an article today about the Myers-Briggs personality types of the candidates. Surprise, McCain is the same type as Bush Jr! Sen. Clinton is like Truman. And Obama is the same personality type as Gandhi.

Now, I suppose that Truman never plagarized part of a political speech. But he did drop a couple of nuclear bombs on civilians. Oh well.

Yes...the plagarism is about the plagarism. But the primaries are not about the plagarism. No, not really.

Biden called the charges "much ado about nothing;"[58] it was also revealed that Biden had used and properly cited the Kinnock speech on several other occasions, although he failed to do so on the one instance recorded by the Dukakis campaign.[59] - wikipedia

Good thing we went with Dukakis!

The allegation is that he copied some of the words and delivery style from a particular section of a speech by a political friend.

The statement I have quoted from you is simply a slur.

It is not at all clear that the "allegations" are anything except your own opinions.

As for addressing the issue of plagiarism in political speechmaking...well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a non-issue.

The speed limit is 60. But everybody drives 65. Does that make it right?

Yes, it does.

The rhetorical construction "I will be fine, but we should be concerned about whether the country will be fine" was very clearly borrowed from Edwards by Clinton's speechwriters.

The simplicity of the words themselves does not mean that the concept was not borrowed.

I concede your point. Unfortunately, to me, Sen. Clinton has the "imitative cadence" of Hitler.

You are only repeating (mindlessly) one-half of the contested gramatical construction.

To be absolutely precise, she is being accused of plagiarism for saying (paraphrased): "we're going to be fine, but is the country going to be fine?"

Yesterday there was an article in Slate about the personality types of the candidates. Sen. Clinton is the same type as Truman, and Bush the First. Obama is the same type as Gandhi.

Clinton is just The Same Old Thing, regardless of her gender. Obama is a personality type we have not yet seen leading this country.

She said "we are going to be fine, but is the country going to be fine," or words to that effect. That is the plagiarism, not the abbreviated version that numerous people mis-quote over and over.

I'll still vote for Clinton if she somehow wins the nomination, but I have no enthusiasm for all her weird junk.

Her party might not nominate her.

So you won't vote for Obama out of spite? Or WILL vote, for McCain? That's brilliant.

The phrase in question is a unique rhetorical contruction...although it's somewhat trite, and uses small words, it's also memorable...it's not inconceivable that someone would want to quote it.

These liars are just part of the right wing slander machine. Expect more of the same as Obama moves ahead in the coming months.

One of them is the real thing.

the passage

We are fine,

But is the country fine?

was copied in two ways: first, the concepts (self, country, fineness), second, the technique (parallelism). Some other words were changed to avoid recreating the bit verbatim.

The YouTube clip is the same sort of deal.

HILLARY IS A COPYCAT!

make sure you explain that to everyone who watches the YouTube clip.

Obama is a plagiarist. "Hillary" is recontextualizing the sentiments of caring and sharing.

I'm not that concerned about Sen. Obama's potential performance in your english class.

The issue here is really not your attitude towards plagiarism. It is more about Sen. Clinton making it an issue in the debate...and then skirting on the edge of plagiarism herself. It was a dumb tactic, and it's biting her on the ass in the form of that YouTube clip.

General Franco: We have nothing to fear but bills.

"Hillary": We have nothing to eat, Bill.

R. Nixon: Burn the tapes!

"Hillary": I am burning my bra.

Quentin Tarintino: Can we get more blood?

"Hillary": I hear the new guy is a blood.

There's more, but you get the idea.

They're both senators, as is McCain. However, McCain and Obama were never married to a president. Is that a "qualification"?

...maybe the problem here is McCain supporters posing as Clinton "defenders". Online, nobody can see the color of your shirt!

What country are you living in?

If Sen. Clinton were a true feminist she wouldn't be running on her husband's record. Then we would be left with:

-a certain amount of Democratic Party activism

-a failed attempt to pass health care reform as First Lady

-a not particularly distinguished record in the senate

Sorry, this doesn't do much for me.

be honest yourself

Hillary is painting a picture...but it's no sale for me.

Feminism is more than being pro-choice, and having the correct genitalia. She's counting her time as First Lady relevant experience for the presidency...not the actions of an independent woman.

There would be no Hillary candidacy without a Bill presidency.

Hey, my dad was in the Navy...does that mean I was in the Navy? No, it doesn't.

There are women in politics who run on their own merits; Sen. Feinstein comes to mind. But Sen. Clinton would be dead in the water without the Billary branding.

BTW...the poster I was responding to basically said Obama has no qualifications at all.

Speaking of "women's and children's issues": what did the Iraq sanctions do for the women and children in Iraq? Oh, I forgot...Hillary "wrote" a cool book...it looks good on the resume...

In Rwanda, it "took a village" to commit genocide...but of course all the policy wonks decided that there was nothing we could have done. Did Hillary miss those meetings?