Legal Commentary

Obama and Duval Patrick's Shared Language: Issue or Not?

By Jeralyn

I'm just getting online today and I see there's a big to-do in the media over Barack Obama's use of Mass. Gov. Duval Patrick's words in his speeches.

The Clinton campaign says it's plagiarism. The Obama campaign says Obama should have credited Patrick but the two are friends and share ideas. Patrick says he doesn't mind Obama's use of his words.

Obama's oratory has been an issue in this campaign. There's been a plethora of media articles about Obama's speeches being inspirational while Hillary's are not.

I've often reminded readers that speeches are written by speechwriters and I'm not impressed that Obama has the ability, with a teleprompter, to inspirationally deliver a speech written by someone else. Not long ago, the New York Times ran a profile of his chief speechwriter. [More...]

Jake Tapper at ABC News says this is really an issue between Obama and his supporters:

Thousands, if not millions, of Americans are inspired by Obama's words. They do not think they are "just words." But many of them also likely think they are at least somewhat original.

Dan Balz at The Washington Post says:

Words do matter, as do their origins. Ask Joe Biden, who took words from a British politician in 1988 without attribution and paid a high price.

You Tube has all the videos. Here's one with Patrick and Obama's on Saturday night in Wisconsin.

I say we should decide the nominee based on their record not their promises. Speeches are just that, speeches. I've been suggesting we ignore Obama's scripted speeches for months. This is just more evidence of that proposition to me.

Ignore the speeches. Who has the best and strongest record, the most experience and the ability, once elected, to get their agenda through Congress? Who will be a better and more electable candidate against the Republicans in November?

Let's not get sidetracked.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 18, 2008 (boomark / email).