# The Republican national Convention **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 18, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729 "2016-06-18T21:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/281 "2016-07-19T05:55:45Z")
Trump campaign just doubled down and insists that these are her words. It’s all just a big coincidence! ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/282 "2016-07-19T05:59:26Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I want to think that, but somehow, I almost feel like he really wants to prove his “I could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and the poll numbers won’t change” (or whatever it was exactly he said) right. Like he’s purposely antagonizing. I am sure Donald was not aware of this. I think he spent time approving her outfit and his back lighting entrance effects. He is into the visuals. Since he doesn’t listen to a word Melania says, he figures why would anyone else listen to her? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/283 "2016-07-19T05:59:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Is there a line on tomorrow’s program “Fix Yesterday’s Clusterfuck”? How many fucks in a Clusterfuck? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/284 "2016-07-19T06:02:50Z")
The campaign just put out a [statement](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CntJ-CGWIAAKUI1.jpg). Some twaddle about “fragments that reflected her own thinking,” but I think the key is the mention of “Melania’s team of writers.” That means _someone_ is getting thrown under a bus soon. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/285 "2016-07-19T06:03:41Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Melania told Matt Lauer in an interview that she wrote the speech herself so she only had to practice it once. Well, we all know how tough it is to read from a teleprompter. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/286 "2016-07-19T06:03:55Z")
> [@](#): > > How many fucks in a Clusterfuck? The whole world! All of humanity interconnected in one planetary clusterfuck that bursts into a worldwide orgasm! Then, half of us fall asleep… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/287 "2016-07-19T06:04:29Z")
So we’ve heard a lot from what I’m sure conservatives here would call the Usual Liberal Doper Peanut Gallery. Any sense of what the rank and file Republican thinks (not just the well known anti-Trumpers at RedState)? Or even undecideds/independents/Bernie bros? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/288 "2016-07-19T06:08:56Z")
[Donald plagiarized also.](http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/trump-plagiarism-ben-carson-220912) > [@](#): > > Ben Carson has no problem with reports of plagiarism from Donald Trump’s campaign. > > The Daily Caller on Wednesday afternoon reported on uncanny similarities between op-eds that Carson and Trump wrote on the importance of United States territories and commonwealths. Carson’s piece was published Feb. 26 in the Northern Mariana Islands, while Trump’s was published by a Guam outlet on March 9. The report noted numerous instances where words and phrases were the same in both pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/289 "2016-07-19T06:13:19Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > The whole world! All of humanity interconnected in one planetary clusterfuck that bursts into a worldwide orgasm! Then, half of us fall asleep… If you can get everyone else in the world on board, then Tuesday works for me. I didn’t have anything planned anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/290 "2016-07-19T06:13:57Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So we’ve heard a lot from what I’m sure conservatives here would call the Usual Liberal Doper Peanut Gallery. Any sense of what the rank and file Republican thinks (not just the well known anti-Trumpers at RedState)? Or even undecideds/independents/Bernie bros? Surprisingly, Fox News is acknowledging the controversy. > **[Manafort takes heat from ex-Trump campaign manager over Melania speech flap](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/manafort-takes-heat-from-ex-trump-campaign-manager-over-melania-speech-flap)** > > Donald Trump’s ex-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski took to task the man who replaced him Tuesday over allegedly plagiarized passages in Melania Trump’s convention speech, saying Paul Manafort should find out who’s responsible and hold them... ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/291 "2016-07-19T06:15:22Z")
> [@rock\_party](#): > > You know Donald had to approve of this speech lifting. Poor Melania, I actually thought she did rather well with the delivery. But what really amazes me about her is her ability to keep her lunch down when Donald gets amorous. Vomit porn is a thing, and I wouldn’t be amazed if Big Don goes for it. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/292 "2016-07-19T06:21:14Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > Between the plagiarizing and “He will never, ever give up and most importantly he will never ever let you down,” some speechwriter somewhere must be having a huge laugh. I’m guessing Donald stiffed him, too. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/293 "2016-07-19T06:25:02Z")
Also - Gawker has both the side-by-side video and a transcript comparison. Just so you can check on that “boilerplate” without having to watch the video. Here’s a sample: [http://gawker.com/melania-trump-apparently-plagiarized-a-section-of-miche-1783889522](http://gawker.com/melania-trump-apparently-plagiarized-a-section-of-miche-1783889522) > [@](#): > > ``` > Obama: ...because we want our children and all children in this nation to know... > > Trump: ...because we want our children in this nation to know... > > ``` > > * * * > > ``` > Obama: ...the only limits on the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams... > > Trump: ...that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams... > > ``` > > * * * > > ``` > Obama: ...and your willingness to work hard for them. > > Trump: ...and your willingness to work for them. > > ``` There’s more at the link. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/294 "2016-07-19T06:26:21Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I’m going to flip over to the convention at some point this week and there’ll be a close-up of a wild-eyed 70-something white man feasting on the entrails of a bloated corpse on the floor of the convention while fires burn and empty Glenfiddich Whisky bottles are flying in the background. The picture will be sideways because the cameraman dropped the camera and ran; the charred smoking corpse dangling from the convention center rafters may or may not be him. A tiny woman with large blonde hair wearing a sparkly red-white-and-blue pantsuit will casually walk up to the wild-eyed man and shoot him in the back of the head with a .44 Magnum. I’ll turn to my wife and be like “It’s Wednesday already?” That was the best thing I’ve read all week. > [@davidm](#): > > Far be it from me to want to defend a Trump, it nearly makes me gag to do so, but to be completely fair this is probably on the speech writers, not Melania or even Donald. Although he probably needs to vet his speechwriters better. > > The really funny part is the Republican crowd applauding Michell’s words. Michelle framed Melania 8 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/295 "2016-07-19T06:35:11Z")
raventhief: > [@](#): > > In today’s world, teachers stress hard work, and keeping one’s word, and achievement, AND NOT PLAGIARIZING. Guess it was different in your halcyon days. Those halcyon days when Joe Biden was younger? Yes, I suspect it was quite different. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/296 "2016-07-19T06:37:00Z")
Donald Trump is loyal to his family, says Donald Trump’s third wife. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/297 "2016-07-19T06:39:11Z")
The worst of this horrible nonsense is CNN pretending to take these speeches seriously, as though these were serious ideas proposed by thoughtful people. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/298 "2016-07-19T06:40:19Z")
So it seems like she either committed plagiarism, or she lied when she said that she wrote it herself. I’m going to predict that they will stick with blaming the writers and will pretend that the video with Matt Lauer doesn’t exist, while it plays repeatedly 24/7 on the news stations. And his supporters will whine about how wrong it is to attack his wife, and how unfair it is to have proof that she lied. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/299 "2016-07-19T06:46:24Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > So it seems like she either committed plagiarism, or she lied when she said that she wrote it herself. Lying about writing your own speeches seems pretty normal and accepted in politics, though, so even if she _did_ plagiarize the speech they’ll go with the lying. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/300 "2016-07-19T06:47:54Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > In today’s world, teachers stress hard work, and keeping one’s word, and achievement… Then why do we have so many deadbeats and high-school grads who can read or write at a second-grade level? And yes, you’re right, it was different in my halcyon days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=16)