Letters to the Editor

Letters posted here are associated with the following article:
The "plagiarism" problem
Examining the charge of plagiarism Hillary Clinton's campaign has leveled against Barack Obama.
Alex Koppelman [2008-02-19]
The letters thread is now closed.

  • aren't they all?

    Do any of the candidates write their own speeches? Probably not; should we vote in the speechwriters?

    I want a candidate who writes his or her own speeches and is not primed with canned responses. Otherwise, its all marketing--whoever buys the best marketing team can win--is this democracy or salesmanship?

    --Anonymous
    Wednesday, February 20, 2008 05:10 PM

  • Obama Can Write, and Does

    Books. and he speaks extemporaneously for 45 minutes without notes. We all borrow phrasing. The people of Wisconsin told us how important this drivel is. The Hillster lost by 17 points in a "toss up" state. Bye, Clintonistas.

    -- tom payne
    [Read tom payne's other letters]
    Wednesday, February 20, 2008 06:56 PM

  • IT'S NOT PLAGIARISM IF THE ORIGINATOR DOESN'T SAY IT IS.

    The purpose of copyright, trademark, and patent laws is to protect the originator from having his ideas stolen. If the theft claim is not made, there can be no theft. The Clinton campaign has no standing in this issue.

    -- azdirk
    [Read azdirk's other letters]
    Thursday, February 21, 2008 08:38 AM

  • @ azdirk

    Not so. You are talking about copywrite infringement. You do realize don't you that Shakespeare is dead and that if I stole one of his poems and tried to pass it off as my own that I would still be a plagiarist. Copywrite infringemnt is a legal matter. Plagiarism is always a moral matter and only sometimes a legal matter.

    -- AKA Smith
    [Read AKA Smith's other letters]
    Thursday, February 21, 2008 04:01 PM

Letters Help