February 18, 2008
Obama: Should Have Mentioned The Source
YOUNGSTOWN, OH -- Barack Obama acknowledged today that he probably "should have" given Deval Patrick credit for lines he used at Saturday's Jefferson Jackson Dinner in Wisconsin but added that he didn't think "it was too big of a deal."
"I was on the stump," Obama said. Patrick "had suggested we use these lines. I thought they were good lines. I'm sure I should have. Didn't this time."
The Clinton camp, in an earlier conference call, has said that by using someone else's language, lines uttered by Patrick in a 2006 speech, Obama had shown himself to be inauthentic.
"I've written two books, wrote most of my speeches, so I putting aside the question that you just raised whether my words are my own, I think that would be carrying it too far," Obama said.
He reaffirmed the close relationship that he and Patrick share, and said that no one has taken issue with Clinton ripping off some of his lines.
"Deval and I do trade ideas all the time, and he's occasionally used lines of mine, and I, at a JJ dinner in Wisconsin, used some words of his. And I would add, on occasion, Sen. Clinton has used words of mine as well," he said.
Obama also said that the excitement he was generating was his own and not because he had used ideas or language from others.
"I'm happy to give Deval credit as I give to a lot of people for spurring all kinds of ideas," he said. "But I think its fair to say that everything we've been doing and generating the excitement and the interest people have had in the elections is based on the core belief in me that we need change in America."
(NBC/NJ's ASWINI ANBURAJAN)
Posted at 02:44 PM
Comments
Firstly, Duvall didn't write the lines. David Axelrod wrote the lines as delivered by Duvall in '06. Secondly, how is it plagiarism if he was given the lines by both sources, the writer and the original speaker? Thirdly, Senator Clinton, McCain and Mitt Romney repeatedly "borrowed" lines from Senator Obama from his change mantra to "turn the page" to "fired up and ready to go" to "yes we can", and Senator Obama didn't make a big deal out of it and neither did the meadia. So, why are they so keen on trying to run with this now?
Dawn | 02.18.08 03:22 PM
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Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote a number of books, but when she screwed up, writing a number of books did not make it okay.
Brian | 02.18.08 03:26 PM
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I do not trust Obama. He is a real politician talk talk with nothing inside. He have a lot of support (money) just becuase he is black. This is a pity!
clara | 02.18.08 03:30 PM
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i really dont think "turn the page," "fired up and ready to go," or "yes we can" are phrases that can BELONG to any candidate. they've been saying "turn the page" practically since the election of 1800, and George W. Bush used "yes we can!" in 2000. And just because Axelrod advised DEVAL (not Duvall) does not mean that he wrote those lines. Obama lifted the phrase "the audacity of hope" from his minister, too.
not that all this matters in terms of who would be a better Presdient of course, but just so we're clear...
NFish | 02.18.08 04:02 PM
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This seems relatively trivial compared to the two dozen crisis's bearing down on the USA.
It reduces HRC stature in my eyes to be part of something so petty and desperate.
Paul Silver | 02.18.08 05:52 PM
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"should have"... It's so lame.
ho tc | 02.18.08 06:25 PM
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This is a load of crap. If Clinton writes all her own material, then fine. But if her speechwriters make it up for her, she either needs to acknowledge them every time she talks or shut up about Obama's speeches.
NaR | 02.19.08 10:26 AM
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I guess Hillary better start crediting her speeches, since I don't think she writes - all, maybe any - of her own words.
Phil | 02.19.08 01:22 PM
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This is so petty. Deval, a close friend of Obama's, said he did not care that Obama had borrowed "words" from him.
After having conversations with people I have repeated their idea or something they've said. If there is anyone who hasn't done this, too, I would be surprised.
Hillary has used Obama's "Yes we can", "Fired up and ready to go" without crediting him. Furthermore Hillary did not start talking about change until she saw it was working for Obama. She has also lifted lines from Jimmy Carter's speeches. We can argue about this all day, but this whole thing is moot and a waste of time.
One newscaster asked Obama what he thought about Hillary Clinton -- and the others -- using his theme of "change", Obama replied, "Good, we've got people thinking and talking about change." Therein draws the difference between her campaign and his.
The Clintons have been throwing everything they can including the kitchen sink at Obama to see what sticks. She has been falling behind in the polls so her campaign goes into attack mode. This is what Obama refers to as the politics as usual.
serena1313 | 02.19.08 04:48 PM
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This is pathetic. Apparently it's OK if you "borrow" your husband's experience as your own, but not ok if you "borrow" stump speech material from one of your campaign advisors. Pathetic, Senator Clinton.
paula | 02.19.08 05:30 PM
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Anyone else think Clara's a racist idiot?
I think the issue here is David Axlerod, and why he's the only person writing decent speeches for Democrats. Senator Clinton's been biting from Bill Richardson, Bill Clinton, John Edward, Barack Obama, and anyone else who has ever had a message that's caught fire. What's her excuse?
She's got a great record and enough experience (but not the BS 35 years she continues to claim). Unfortunately for her, the job also requires (or at least, should require) a wee bit of charisma and some integrity. That's where she's falling short.
tara | 02.19.08 05:42 PM
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