Obama camp: Her Majesty’s plagiarizing our lines, too
posted at 1:40 pm on February 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Even stupider than the original accusation, although not so stupid perhaps as the charges over the weekend that Obama’s using sexist code words. The race had to arrive at this point, I guess: When there are no major policy differences to debate, all you’re left with is identity politics and semantic wrangling. The past month was devoted to the former; maybe now we’re finally segueing to the latter.
Add this very important development to your mental bookmark list as it’ll come in handy the next time we’re lectured by our betters about how adult and substantive Democratic contests are.
On a conference call with reporters, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said it was clear Obama had “lifted rhetoric” from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Portions of Patrick’s speeches during his gubernatorial run resemble some of Obama’s addresses this year.
“If you’re going to be talking about the value of words, the words ought to be your own,” said Wolfson…
The Obama camp … said Clinton had a pattern of borrowing some of the Illinois senator’s signature phrases, including “Yes, We Can” and “Fired Up, Ready to Go.”
They also circulated a YouTube video and list of these alleged instances to reporters still listening to Wolfson.
“…We have seen thousands and thousands of Iowans over the last week and we are fired up and we are ready to go because we know America is ready for change and the process starts right here in Iowa,” says Clinton in the pre-Iowa caucuses clip circulated by the Obama campaign Monday.
Here’s old video of Hillary using Obama’s catchphrase against him, which is “plagiarism” in much the same way that a five-year-old repeating everything you say is. And Gateway Pundit has video of Billy Jeff, neck vein a-throbbin’, continuing to win friends, influence people, and give the media handy illustrations for stories about Hillary’s campaign being “out of control.”
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The Democratic Primaries-The Reality Show…continues…LOL
TOPV on February 18, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Pick Flik!
ronsfi on February 18, 2008 at 1:45 PM
I like the mental image of the secret service pulling an enraged Clinton off the guy. It was probobly something a lot more subtle, but it’s still funny.
BadgerHawk on February 18, 2008 at 1:48 PM
It’s really too bad we just have these two solve their differences in a way that would be satisfying to everyone.
Like maybe locking them in a room and arming them both with nail-studded baseball bats.
pilamaye on February 18, 2008 at 1:48 PM
I’m starting to like the fact that the Republican nomination process is essentially over- now we can watch the Democratic Party Circular Firing Squad in action without distraction.
Hollowpoint on February 18, 2008 at 1:51 PM
You know, if they keep this up for the next nine months, and the probably will, the Repubs have a better shot than I thought at the house, the senate and POTUS!
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 1:51 PM
There needs to be a NSFS warning (Not Safe for Full Stomach) on videos that have a voice like that.
pedestrian on February 18, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Like watching Preying Mantis’ chew each other to death. Uncomfortable but strangely satisfying.
Alden Pyle on February 18, 2008 at 1:55 PM
I just can’t see her pulling out of this nose dive. The shine is gone from the mythical ‘Clinton Machine’. The MSM will(and is) doing everything in it’s power to prevent the super-delegate fight. Nah….she’ll bow out like Romney did. Good of the party and all that. March 4 is gonna hit her like a ton of bricks.
Limerick on February 18, 2008 at 1:59 PM
LOL! LOL! LOL!
It aint happening. She will fight tooth & nail to get this, even if she destroys her own party. Prediction: If she gets the nomination under ANYTHING less than transparent means, you will see rioting in the streets at the Dim convention.
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Too good to jinx with open conversation :-)
Alden Pyle on February 18, 2008 at 2:15 PM
; ) Oh yeah…shhhhh…
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Democrats steal reconquista rhetoric for use in their election campaigns – news at 11.
amkun on February 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM
How can they tell who said what? They all say the same damn thing…
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 2:25 PM
Delicious
revolutionismyname on February 18, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Senator Joseph Biden (D. DE) could not be reached for comment.
Blacklake on February 18, 2008 at 2:46 PM
Oh, dear. I hope she hasn’t said “hope” and “change” too.
OneGyT on February 18, 2008 at 2:53 PM
Here’s the latest: answering the Clinton’s camp charge of plagiarism, Obama said, “Ask not…what your country… can do for you…but ask…what…can you do…for your country?”
Doug on February 18, 2008 at 2:56 PM
Proof that neither democrat is fit to be president.
William Amos on February 18, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Any wagers on when we’ll hear BO or HRC come up with the “I’m rubber, you’re glue” retort?
swami on February 18, 2008 at 3:01 PM
One word for BJ.
Unpresidential.
Then. Now. Always.
fogw on February 18, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Just delicious
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/obama-echoes-de.html
William Amos on February 18, 2008 at 3:06 PM
I don’t know about you guys, but I have grandchildren! I know for a fact the, “Yes we can” phrase came from Bob the Builder!!
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 3:12 PM
If the great orator is stealing other people’s speeches, does he still get to be the great orator? And for that matter, if he has to steal a speech quoting from the most quoted speeches of all time, does he still get to be super intelligent guy? And while I’m at it, if his response to getting caught is “Well, she did it, too” do we still have to hear about how he’s Mr. honest politician? I don’t know, Senator Obama, I think my soul is hurting from all of this. I’m going to have to reclaim my soul from you until you can get this all straightened out.
Rational Thought on February 18, 2008 at 3:13 PM
ok…you owe me a beer for the one I just spit all over the screen.
Limerick on February 18, 2008 at 3:15 PM
LOL! Name your poison!
kcd on February 18, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Given the *alleged* dalliances that occurred in Illinois, or whatever that fat guy on YouTube said, you would think Obama would stay away from construction-worker/YMCA-type figures.
I guess not.
emailnuevo on February 18, 2008 at 3:29 PM
I’m Barrack Hussein Obama and I approve of whatever it is I just plagiarized.
Sugar Land on February 18, 2008 at 3:53 PM
AP’s being way too above-the-fray here. That “sexist code words” imbroglio was not a ginned-up phony controversy: Obama really does have an old school leftist machismo problem, and he’s shown it in his condescending cuts at Hillary and others repeatedly. He’s far too controlled to say something obviously stupid and foul, but the “periodically” statement was not taken as subtle by feminists who deal with this kind of thing all of the time. Again, the point isn’t that, taken in isolation, the comments are so beyond the pale (though women who’ve been shown them do tend to take them badly) – the point is that they help confirm a pattern.
The same is true of the stolen words: Calling them plagiarism is clearly overbidding by the Clintonistas and and others, but it serves the purpose of attracting attention and forcing BO onto the defensive. The real problem, as discussed on the “audacity of derivativeness” thread, is that, once you strip away empty, phony, and canned rhetoric, Obama’s just a junior senator from Illinois desperately under-qualified for the presidency, afflicted with a bad case of pretentious arrogance and a willingness to manipulate the naive.
CK MacLeod on February 18, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Well, there’s also mud slinging. And noogies.
mikeyboss on February 18, 2008 at 4:20 PM
I wonder what brilliant message Jimmy Carter
would have for his own party!
And really isn’t this Obama did cocaine again
saga part deux!
There he said it again,no I didn’t,yes you did,
you’re stealing our words!No,you’re stealing our
words!
Oh,brother! Democrats in constant drama!
canopfor on February 18, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Clinton’s assertions are specious.
She is, of course, guilty of things that she accuses others of being guilty of…what else would one expect?
When in doubt about matters of the other side, I read the “news of the left”.
Time headline – Barrack Plagiarism: “No One’s Buying It.”
That sentiment is all over, the entire attack is simply more desperation from Hillaryland.
Also the story about the Wisconsin poll, you know the one where Hillary is within striking distance? It looks like a non-starter as well.
The polls have consistently shown Barry over Hillary – and nothing has changed.
I know lots of people want Hillary to do well, it’s some kind of strategy…but I’m too chicken to jump on board, so for now, I’m still rooting for Obama.
Dorvillian on February 18, 2008 at 10:41 PM
so now Obama has copyrighted the words “yes we can”?
Chakra Hammer on February 19, 2008 at 1:09 AM
Hitlery’s photo in the lead in to this story plagiarizes the ending of our greatest cartoons, “Th, th, th, thats all Folks”
MSGTAS on February 19, 2008 at 8:16 AM
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