Byron York over at The Corner notes that Obama’s use of my governor’s campaign rhetoric is more than just an isolated incident… there’s actually a pattern of “lifting” phrases verbatim without attribution.
The debate will continue about how important this is, but as a Massachusetts resident and voter, who experienced Deval Patrick‘s empty rhetoric and saw first hand how people were fooled by it, I think this is a very big deal. Despite Deval Patrick‘s rhetoric about hope in 2006, he has since become one of the most ineffective and incompetent governors Massachusetts has ever seen. Even some of his most ardent supporters from the campaign have questioned his so-called leadership as governor.
So, along comes Barack Obama, who isn’t simply regurgitating the same themes Deval Patrick used, but phrases word for word… Let’s be honest about Barack Obama’s support… it’s not because of support for specific policies, or because of any leadership abilities… his support is largely superficial, and is a result of his powerful speech giving talent and rhetoric. Now people are learning that even his rhetoric is unoriginal… or more accurately: stolen.
Obama supporters can pretend this isn’t a big deal, but had this not come out than Obama would continue to use Deval Patrick‘s words without attribution. I knew from the beginning of Obama’s presidential campaign that Deval’s gubernatorial campaign would be used as a model… a microcosm of sorts for Obama’s national campaign… and it definitely has been. Without a doubt.
Even though Deval Patrick, who has endorsed Obama, has defended Obama’s use of his words without attribution, that doesn’t make this situation any less significant, or the actual stealing of the words any less fraudulent.
What Deval Patrick lacked in leadership he compensated for in rhetoric and his speaking ability. Barack Obama is attempting to pull the same scam on the American people, but what he’s doing is worse because he was using someone else’s words and would have continued had the origins not been revealed. Obama knew where the words came from. His speeches are scripted. He knew he was using someone else’s words. He knew he wasn’t crediting the source. Obama is a fraud. He defended the effectiveness of his words by plagiarizing Deval’s.
The sad thing is that so many on the left won’t care.
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