Plagiary

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern.

   At a time of intense competition, when every word and action is scrutinized and monitored for the smallest hint of possible error, or something that could be interpreted as a mistake, how is it that a prime time television speech to a national political convention could be delivered with three examples of plagiarism?
   It could be, of course, that the three phrasings in Melania Trump's speech praising her husband to Republicans, which were identical to lines in Michelle Obama's speech at a previous convention of Democrats, may be excused as standard examples of American dream-speak. Things like, if you work hard and apply yourself, you too can be successful.
   Or it could be that they were lifted verbatim from Michelle Obama's earlier speech.  Cable news shows had a field day running clips of both, and the phrasings were, in fact, identical.
   Did the Trump think no one would notice? Was the repetition by accident or by design?
   Reporters have long memories, but one may well ask if they are really that good.
   It's also possible that the opposition party monitored Melania's talk hoping to find something useful, and then tip off the reporters and TV folk to find video clips of the two women saying identical things, four or eight years apart.
   But regardless of who found the repetition/plagiarism, the issue remains this: How did it happen?
   Was it coincidence, using a standard American culture-thought but with identical phrasing? Or was it deliberate plagiarism?
   When challenged, the Trump team used its usual double-down defense, attacking those who dared to point out anything resembling a fault.
   This, however, does not change the reality of verbatim repetition in a nationally televised speech.
   Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times or more is a pattern.