Will Plagiarism Sink the Obama Machine?

There is absolutely no doubt that the media has taken it easy on golden boy du jour Barack Obama, doling out proverbial 'free-passes' much like the Clinton White House enjoyed for a time (Bill/Hillary are still attempting to wrap their heads around their fall from grace) . However, over the weekend Team Clinton released videos to the media that showed the Illinois Senator-cum-Presidential Candidate blatantly plagiarizing a 2006 campaign speech of now Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

Wiki Link: Plagiarism

Wiki Link: Deval Patrick

Patrick Rally Speech (Dated October 15, 2006):

“But her (Republican opponent Lt. Governor Kerry Healey) dismissive point, and I hear it a lot from her staff, is that 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!”

Obama Re-Do (Dated February 16, 2008):

“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!”

The Obama camp maintains that Patrick is a close friend of the candidate (does anyone else smell a detour from answering the allegations?), and counter-charged Clinton for pilfering 'Yes We Can' - which was made into a Will.i.am (of the Black-Eyed Peas) song - and 'Fired Up and Ready to Go', two supposed signature Obama rally cries, even though 'Yes We Can' is derived from a union chant.

Wiki Link: Yes We Can

Whether or not Obama will feel a backlash from the plagiarism charges can only be answered in the forthcoming primaries. As of right now, my money is on Obama remaining relatively unscathed.

Afterthought 1:

Interesting Washington Post Op-Ed on Obama (noting that Obama may have plagiarized several Clinton policy platforms) - The Obama Delusion

Afterthought 2:

Politics even plays a role in campaign music selection. Although Will.i.am compiled 'Yes We Can' for Obama, it is not used as a campaign song, Clinton is using Celine Dion's 'You and I' and John McCain - after earlier troubles with lacking permission to play the Rocky Theme Song - absorbed John Mellencamp's 'Our Country' from the now-defunct John Edwards campaign, only to be slighted yet again when the artist and known Democrat contacted the McCain camp and requested his songs not be played. Better luck next time, I guess...

AFP Article: 2008 US Campaign Songs

Wiki Link: Campaign Songs