Melania Trump plagiarism/rickroll megathread

[Dr. Arch]

Dear lords Please... This is embarrassing!

[heatcharger]

Here's the part of this I expected, but still am annoyed about: The media won't call a spade a f***ing spade. From what I've seen this morning to now, CNN and MSNBC have been framing this as "Did Melania take from Michelle Obama's speech?" YES. Why are you even asking? Facts have now become a left and right issue in this country.

I'm not asking for a Melania witch hunt, but I'm sick of this whole "let the viewers decide" crap when it comes to facts. She plagiarized, stop going out of your way to make it seem not that way.

I don't know how true this is but I heard an MSNBC host say that for "legal reasons" they can't call it plagiarism.  She wasn't making a big deal out of it.  It was an off hand remark.  It was like she was about to say plagiarism and stopped and made the remark and continued on.  I thought it was odd.  But Trump is known for claiming he will sue people and it is pretty obvious what Melania did so why even mess with it.  Just play the tape and move on to the discussion part.  We all know what we are looking at.

What are those legal reasons? That Trump might sue for libel or something? Give me a break, FLOTUS could sue Melania if she really wanted to for copyright infringement. This only reinforces the idea that the media loves Trump for ratings and won't tell it like it is. Of course, Trump is aware of this, so he has played the media like a game and knows how to get all this free publicity.

This really is the biggest sin of the media these days, and it really has to do with the media trying to avoid being labeled as liberally biased. If something happens that looks like it will help the Democrats or hurt the Republicans, the media will avoid taking a stance and say everything is 50/50. "Maybe she did plagiarize, maybe she didn't." CNN always does this. We don't have a Murrow or Cronkite who is going to tell it like it is, just loud talking heads and moderators who go out of their way to stay neutral.

Somewhere in the last 20 years, real reporting and journalism went down the tubes. You could look at Fox News, who are the biggest culprits of this, but then CNN decided to hire failed NBC president Jeff Zucker, who said CNN was too liberal, and decided to ratchet up the sensationalism on the channel to a whole new level. They've given a platform to Trump and his surrogates who offer zero analysis or insight, but are just there to be a mouthpiece for him.

[Taco Truck 🚚]

Here's the part of this I expected, but still am annoyed about: The media won't call a spade a f***ing spade. From what I've seen this morning to now, CNN and MSNBC have been framing this as "Did Melania take from Michelle Obama's speech?" YES. Why are you even asking? Facts have now become a left and right issue in this country.

I'm not asking for a Melania witch hunt, but I'm sick of this whole "let the viewers decide" crap when it comes to facts. She plagiarized, stop going out of your way to make it seem not that way.

I don't know how true this is but I heard an MSNBC host say that for "legal reasons" they can't call it plagiarism.  She wasn't making a big deal out of it.  It was an off hand remark.  It was like she was about to say plagiarism and stopped and made the remark and continued on.  I thought it was odd.  But Trump is known for claiming he will sue people and it is pretty obvious what Melania did so why even mess with it.  Just play the tape and move on to the discussion part.  We all know what we are looking at.

What are those legal reasons? That Trump might sue for libel or something? Give me a break, FLOTUS could sue Melania if she really wanted to for copyright infringement. This only reinforces the idea that the media loves Trump for ratings and won't tell it like it is. Of course, Trump is aware of this, so he has played the media like a game and knows how to get all this free publicity.

I have no idea.  That's just what I heard.  I don't know how valid that reason is.  I was just putting that out there.

The media definitely loves Trump.  They are getting a heck of a lot more ratings and $$$ with him in the race.  I have zero recollection of any spouses' speech in my lifetime but I will remember Melania's till the day I die.

Having said that I can't say there is an across the board Trump lovefest.  Keep in mind he has banned certain news organizations so I can see why some reporters would tread carefully without actually liking the guy.

I was worried about Trump a few weeks ago but given his gross incompetence I'm pretty confident he will lose in November.  At this stage it is probably best to let the media play with its new shiny object and let Trump and family continue to makes fools of themselves.  I hear you on a lot of your points but if ultimately the guy loses isn't that good enough?

[ag]

I don't understand why they dont just bring out some no name low level staffer and fire him. While Trump doesn't like to admit mistakes they fired Roger Stone and Cory Lewendowsky. In fact Trump could make it part of his brand ("you're fired") to show he can be quick and decisive when there is a problem. They can get Melania out to Jimmy Fallon and turn it into a joke like have her read the gettysburg address or something. There are ways to fix this.  What they are doing isn't helping.

I don't know what employment law is like in America, but couldn't a patsy staffer sue for unfair dismissal? I wouldn't want my career publicly ruined to defend Manafort

Employment law in America allows the said staffer to be dismissed at will, with a 30 second notice, by e-mail. If he sues, he would have to sue for libel.

[Crumpets]

This really is the biggest sin of the media these days, and it really has to do with the media trying to avoid being labeled as liberally biased. If something happens that looks like it will help the Democrats or hurt the Republicans, the media will avoid taking a stance and say everything is 50/50. "Maybe she did plagiarize, maybe she didn't." CNN always does this. We don't have a Murrow or Cronkite who is going to tell it like it is, just loud talking heads and moderators who go out of their way to stay neutral.

Somewhere in the last 20 years, real reporting and journalism went down the tubes. You could look at Fox News, who are the biggest culprits of this, but then CNN decided to hire failed NBC president Jeff Zucker, who said CNN was too liberal, and decided to ratchet up the sensationalism on the channel to a whole new level. They've given a platform to Trump and his surrogates who offer zero analysis or insight, but are just there to be a mouthpiece for him.

WHAT? You mean having a legitimate discussion about MH370 flying into a black hole doesn't qualify as hard-hitting journalism?

[Wells]

I can't believe this happened. First Trump's campaign goes to Elsa coloring books and now they cite Twilight Sparkle. This is hilarious.

He's trying to reach out to the 5 year old girl vote. He has had problems with them in the past.

[Crumpets]

I can't believe this happened. First Trump's campaign goes to Elsa coloring books and now they cite Twilight Sparkle. This is hilarious.

He's trying to reach out to the 5 year old girl vote. He has had problems with them in the past.

"See, he's only being so mean to you because he really likes you."

[ProudModerate2]

Maybe if we put it in black-and-white print, and highlight the obvious plagiarism, the deniers like Seriously will finally "see the light" ......

[Crumpets]

MSNBC just reported that the speech was written by Matt Scully, but that when he submitted the speech for review, it didn't contain any of the plagiarized portions.

[heatcharger]

MSNBC just reported that the speech was written by Matt Scully, but that when he submitted the speech for review, it didn't contain any of the plagiarized portions.

That's why no one was fired! Lyin' Melania was the one who stole it. She needs to be pressured into apologizing.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

MSNBC just reported that the speech was written by Matt Scully, but that when he submitted the speech for review, it didn't contain any of the plagiarized portions.

So the Trumps had to have included the plagerised portions, right?
Seems like they did it on purpose.

[cinyc]

MSNBC just reported that the speech was written by Matt Scully, but that when he submitted the speech for review, it didn't contain any of the plagiarized portions.

So the Trumps had to have included the plagerised portions, right?
Seems like they did it on purpose.

Logically, no.  Whomever vetted the speeches for review could have added the language.

[Likely Voter]

Curious if Scully included the Rick Astley-ish section.   The NBC reporter waved around his final draft, wonder if that will be put online.

[AGA]

Melania Trump's speech may have contained a rickroll in it.

She said, "He will never give up. [...] He will never let you down."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3IaR3mU-BA

Can this be considered a rick roll? Was this intentional? Did someone try to sabotage the speech or to just add a harmless joke?

For reference, this is what rickrolls are based on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

It was intentional, Trump is trying to hurt the Republican Party.

[AGA]

Sources are now saying that Trump is planning to publicly apologize for the plagiarism and has fired the person who created the speech.

[Holmes]

Sources are now saying that Trump is planning to publicly apologize for the plagiarism and has fired the person who created the speech.

He fired his wife? Heartless but it falls into the realm of what we've come to expect from him.

[Joe Republic]

Sources are now saying that Trump is planning to publicly apologize for the plagiarism and has fired the person who created the speech.

He fired his wife? Heartless but it falls into the realm of what we've come to expect from him.

The article he linked to explains further details.

[Fuzzy Bear]

That anyone would take this issue seriously is proof of our culture's decline.

[Dr. Arch]

That anyone would take this issue seriously is proof of our culture's decline.

Plagiarism is a serious issue. It's the theft of intellectual material and one of the highest offenses that can be committed in high-education and in professional spheres. The fact that it is NOT taken seriously by the majority is proof of our culture's decline, not the other way around.

[Alcon]

A statistical analysis by college plagiarism checker TurnItIn estimates a "less than 1 in 1 trillion" chance of coincidence.

This is exactly what I was saying, Seriously?.

This is basically a non-issue to me, but that's not an excuse to be intellectually dishonest about it.

[Wells]

So there is a chance? Obviously that's what happened. The odds might be the same as the odds of winning the lottery one thousand times in a row, but it's something.

[Classic Conservative]

I think it could've been on purpose TBH

[ProudModerate2]

A statistical analysis by college plagiarism checker TurnItIn estimates a "less than 1 in 1 trillion" chance of coincidence.
This is exactly what I was saying, Seriously?.
This is basically a non-issue to me, but that's not an excuse to be intellectually dishonest about it.

I think Seriously is now hiding in shame and embarrassment.

[Sbane]

A statistical analysis by college plagiarism checker TurnItIn estimates a "less than 1 in 1 trillion" chance of coincidence.
This is exactly what I was saying, Seriously?.
This is basically a non-issue to me, but that's not an excuse to be intellectually dishonest about it.

I think Seriously is now hiding in shame and embarrassment.

He has no shame. He supports Donald Trump.