The Clinton campaign has lobbed a pretty damning accusation against Barack Obama. They claim he stole a portion of a speech from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who calls the charges "extravagant" and "elaborate."
In 2006 Patrick gave a speech quoting famous phrases: "'We have nothing to fear, but fear itself,' … just words. 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.' Just words. … 'I have a dream' … just words,'" he said, switching effortlessly from FDR to JFK to MLK.
On Saturday in Wisconsin, Obama said, "Don't tell me words don't matter. … 'I have a dream.' Just words. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' Just words. 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.' Just words. Just speeches."
But who is going to get Patrick for stealing form FDR and JFK and MLK? Perhaps understanding the charge was sort of overblown, Clinton clarified yesterday by implying that Obama's entire candidacy is based on words. You know, unlike her candidacy, which is based on body language.
Clinton responded Monday by saying, "If your whole candidacy is about words, they should be your words."
Patrick called the comment "not fair" and said, "It's not just about words, it's about great ideas. … These are iconic phrases."
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign would not deny that Hillary Clinton had "lifted rhetoric" without attribution from other politicians.
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The problem is the following:
Obama's hope/change dreamy rhetoric is what made him so popular; old white ladies are fainting over his motivational and inspirational speeches. This is the brand he and his campaign built for him. If you hear most Obama supporters explain why they support Obama, it's mostly because of the way he "inspires" people, the way he makes people "hope" again. Many people don't even know that Obama DOES NOT write his own speeches - Obama's speechwriter is a 26 year old white kid who was featured in the NY Times a few weeks ago.
Granted, everybody borrows a line, quotes a phrase, but to be exposed this way also brings to light WHAT ELSE has he borrowed? It destroys his St. Obama image. But people are too in love with the brother to see that he is just that - a politician who is insanely poular, not for his active role in politics (because he hasn't paid his dues as far as I'm concerned), but only because he is pulling the heart strings of whoever will listen to him.
Mind you, Deval Patrick's campaign architect is the same as Obama's, David Axelrod (also an Excelon Nuclear energy consultant, Obama's main campaign contributor). You would have thought that David could have had more imagination to change up the words just a tad for all the money he charges.
Don't you sound like Desperado Clinton?
Is this really bad in the US?? I still don't like Clinton but from were it looks (in the UK!)…erm, it looks fraudalent and lazy…
Deval Patrick, the man that the words are borrowed from, had already said in an article back in April of 2007, that they borrow each others speeches. They're friends. He isn't bothered by it. And given that Hillary has been heard on the stump uttering the phrase "Are you fired up?", makes this sound like the pot calling the kettle black.
Khia213, true, but Hillary hasn't built her candidate strength on her oratory skills. He has.
And to Univgurl, not Desperado at all, just calling out what I see and feel. He built his image based on "words" that we now find aren't from him originally. But this isn't going to hurt Obama. Many Republicans & Independants love him.
What is hurting Obama right now is Michelle Obama's quote about "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country." The MSM and right wingers that normally adore Obama are tearing her quote up left and right.
I think it makes sense that he happened to quote that speech. Hillary Clinton said that Obama's speeches were just words and that words don't mean anything. His response was justified in using those phrases from Patrick's speech. It fit what the point he was trying to make.
God politics is such a dirty game….