Key section of Obama speech is adapted material (adapted = stolen)

[Wretched Excess]

Key section of Obama speech is adapted material

ATLANTA (CNN) -- A central passage in the stump speech Barack Obama has been giving in recent days -- aimed at convincing voters that his campaign is not just about lofty rhetoric -- is adapted from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Obama's campaign acknowledged over the weekend.

 Striking similarities between Obama's words and those of Patrick during his 2006 election campaign have raised eyebrows and attracted traffic on YouTube.

Responding to attacks from Democratic rival Sen. Hillary Clinton that he offers words while she offers action, Obama has been arguing that words matter.

Saturday night at a gala for the Wisconsin Democratic Party, Obama said to frequent applause, "Don't tell me words don't matter! 'I have a dream.' Just words. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' Just words. 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.' Just words, just speeches!"

In 2006, Patrick, fending off attacks from his rival Kerry Healey, told a crowd, "Her dismissive point, and I hear it a lot from her staff, is all I have to offer is words. Just words. 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal' -- just words. Just words. 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' -- just words. 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country' -- just words. 'I have a dream' -- just words."

An Obama campaign spokesman said Monday the campaign was "obviously not traumatized" by the discovery of the similarities, "which is why we're not putting out any official statement."

But the campaign did have Patrick -- an Obama supporter -- call the New York Times over the weekend and issue a statement.

 "Senator Obama and I are long-time friends and allies. We often share ideas about politics, policy and language," Patrick said in the statement. "The argument in question, on the value of words in the public square, is one about which he and I have spoken frequently before. Given the recent attacks from Senator Clinton, I applaud him responding in just the way he did."

The Obama campaign also confirmed comments chief strategist David Axelrod made to the New York Times about the speeches.

"They often riff off one another. They share a world view," Axelrod told the Times, referring to Obama and Patrick. "Both of them are effective speakers whose words tend to get requoted and arguments tend to be embraced widely."
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Clinton argues that while Obama provides rousing speeches, she has the stronger grasp of the issues and the knowledge of how to use the presidency to start making changes from "day one."

Speaking last week at a General Motors plant in Ohio, she said, "There's a big difference between us - speeches versus solutions, talk versus action. You know, some people may think words are change. But you and I know better. Words are cheap. I know it takes work."

this is the story about the speech flap over at DU.

[NHSparky]

Got a link for this?

[Wretched Excess]

Got a link for this?

heck.  that was stupid of me.  the story has been updated a good bit since I originally posted it, but the gist of it is here.

[NHSparky]

CNN "updated" = spun to minimize damage to Dummycrats.

[formerlurker]

Deval "don't blame me, I told you all to go home" Patrick is a one term Governor.   Plagiarizing his speeches not such a great idea.

Barrack Hussein Obama will never be president.

[Wretched Excess]

CNN "updated" = spun to minimize damage to Dummycrats.

it was interesting to see some of the verbs change.