Melania Trump's plagiarism

The problem of any political controversy de jour is always that it muddles people's thinking: whatever modicum of substance is involved, manufactured "issues" are always beside the point.

In Melania Trump's speech last night extolling her husband, it certainly looks like her speech-writers stole some passages word-for-word from a speech in which Michelle Obama extolled her husband.

But the Trump handlers are probably right, that the things Melania said about her husband are, after all, simply the "common values" we all look for in those we consider "good people."

Beyond that, I'm skeptical how substantive an "issue" a political wife's praise of her husband can be. Nobody expects such a speech to be anything but extravagantly laudatory. Nobody expects such a speech to be entirely candid. Nobody expects such a speech to be a rousing defence of the candidate's key policies.

In the latter regard, I seriously doubt speeches by political wives praising their husbands should ever be a nominating convention's "keynote address."

But this section of Melania's speech that seems to have been lifted from Michelle Obama is where I think the "controversy" misses the point:

"From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect."

She says that these are the values she learned. I give her (or rather, her speech-writers) some credit for being careful not to claim these are her husband's values, because they obviously are not.

Donald Trump didn't have to work hard in life: he was born into great wealth.

Donald Trump's word is not his bond, and he doesn't keep his promises. A gaggle of ex-wives, former investors, and bankruptcy creditors prove that.

Donald Trump doesn't treat people with respect. That assertion would be so manifestly false as to verge on clinical insanity.

The things Melania said about her husband are indeed "common values" we all look for in those we consider "good people." The real point is that none of them are true of Donald Trump.