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.”