2008 Woodie Awards
Obama gets free pass from media
By: Brent McDermott
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Voices
The Clinton Machine has a new accusation against Barack Obama: Plagiarism.
Dismissing this audacious claim as the Clintons "being the Clintons" is easy to do. After observing coverage of this spat, it became clear the press has taken a liking to writing any Clinton grievance off as erroneous, as well.
The problem?
This charge has some validity.
Barack Obama echoed an identical punchline Saturday originally used by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick in a 2006 campaign speech. Let's take a look at both speeches.
Deval Patrick: "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."
Barack Obama: "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."
An ardent supporter of Obama's presidential bid, Patrick immediately came to Barack's defense, stating, "Sen. Obama and I are longtime friends and allies. We often share ideas about politics, policy and language."
Within 48 hours, the Clintons had a clever YouTube video, and called into question Obama's integrity. During a Monday conference call with reporters, Clinton Campaign Communications Director Howard Wolfson declared Obama was breaking his promises and using words that were not his own.
After drowning in cable news cycles on Monday, this story was nothing more than a footnote in Tuesday's national newspapers. Not only is Obama getting a free pass on his gaffe, he is getting positive press. Most pundits are dismissing the Clinton accusation as desperate, and reaching.
The Clinton Machine has become the boy who cried wolf.
Dismissing this audacious claim as the Clintons "being the Clintons" is easy to do. After observing coverage of this spat, it became clear the press has taken a liking to writing any Clinton grievance off as erroneous, as well.
The problem?
This charge has some validity.
Barack Obama echoed an identical punchline Saturday originally used by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick in a 2006 campaign speech. Let's take a look at both speeches.
Deval Patrick: "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."
Barack Obama: "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."
An ardent supporter of Obama's presidential bid, Patrick immediately came to Barack's defense, stating, "Sen. Obama and I are longtime friends and allies. We often share ideas about politics, policy and language."
Within 48 hours, the Clintons had a clever YouTube video, and called into question Obama's integrity. During a Monday conference call with reporters, Clinton Campaign Communications Director Howard Wolfson declared Obama was breaking his promises and using words that were not his own.
After drowning in cable news cycles on Monday, this story was nothing more than a footnote in Tuesday's national newspapers. Not only is Obama getting a free pass on his gaffe, he is getting positive press. Most pundits are dismissing the Clinton accusation as desperate, and reaching.
The Clinton Machine has become the boy who cried wolf.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 8
michmediaperson
posted 2/20/08 @ 7:10 AM EST
Brent, if you would watch Fox News and listen to talk radio, you would know the media is scared to go after Obama for fear of being called racists.
Also, some media people are tired of the Clinton and are targeting her. (Continued…)
For the record
posted 2/20/08 @ 11:28 AM EST
This 'journalist' works for Barack Obama. He has raised money for his campaign and started a group on campus.
ImpartialObserver
posted 2/20/08 @ 11:36 AM EST
The answer is much simpler. Had you watched the entire 6 p.m. news broadcast rather than the first half, you'd have seen the part where, shortly after Clinton called Obama out for the gaffe, Obama called out Clinton for the same thing. (Continued…)
Rick Lundgren
posted 2/20/08 @ 12:21 PM EST
I do not see anything wrong with this. Speechwriters barrow stuff from one another all the time. It's more common than comedians stealing jokes (I barrowed that from ABC news I believe). (Continued…)
PotandKettle
posted 2/20/08 @ 2:05 PM EST
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/nyregion/16vote.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Mistakes do happen. "In an even more heavily black district in Brooklyn -- where the vote on primary night was recorded as 118 to 0 for Mrs. (Continued…)
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