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NAO

(3,425 posts)
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 04:42 PM Jul 2016

Melania Plagerism on Purpose? Distract Media from Trump Ignorance? Suck all airtime from Hillary?

The Melania plagiarism just doesn't add up. How could that EVER have happened?


Possible explanations include:

(BTW, I think #4 is the ONLY reasonable explanation; please comment if you have a different idea as to how it could have happened.)


1.) Sloppy Mistake. Was it just a sloppy mistake? NO it was NOT a mistake. That's just impossible. Verbatim plagiarism of Michelle? Just those two specific passages? NO, someone MADE it happen. Nobody could be that sloppy by accident. Not even a Trumpkin.

2.) Sabotage. It could have been deliberate sabotage by speech writer, possibly someone loyal to the real Republican Party. That would entail MASSIVE risk on that person's part. It would probably be illegal, and we all know the Donald has a knee jerk litigation response. Further, he has a vindictive, petty vengeful nature. The person who did it would be caught, and prosecuted and sued out of existence by Trump. Because of those considerations, I don't think deliberate sabotage is plausible.

3.) Cryptomnesia. "Cryptomnesia occurs when a forgotten memory returns without it being recognized as such by the subject, who believes it is something new and original. It is a memory bias whereby a person may falsely recall generating a thought, an idea, not deliberately engaging in plagiarism but rather experiencing a memory as if it were a new inspiration." (I plagiarized that directly from Wikipedia) Possibly Melania knew she had a big speech coming up, so she watched a few successful political speeches, and had subconscious verbatim recall of those two passages, forgetting that she had heard them from Michelle. Seems HIGHLY improbable.

****

4.) Trump Strategic Maneuver. Trump himself could have come up with, and made it happen on purpose. He isn't troubled by using women, not even his own wife. But why embarrass his wife and his campaign?

Here's why: Trump knows he is completely ignorant of policy across the board. He realizes he is just fueling hate, rage, and resentment and doesn't know what he's doing or what to say.

During the convention the spotlight of media scrutiny will be directly focused on him, likely exposing his ignorance. If he can get the media to focus on "Plagergate", he will have performed a masterful misdirection.

He would be the political equivalent of a Las Vegas Magician: Ok, all you reporters...look at the pretty girl...she's so dumb she stole words from Michelle Obama... look over HERE at her... don't look at me or ask me any questions).

Further, it's an intense enough scandal to monopolize all media time. So, not only will it pull the spotlight off Trump's ignorance - it will suck all of the airtime away from Hilary. Policy will not be examined AND Hilary will be shut out of the news. It is a move more masterful that anything ever pulled off by Karl Rove.

****

Any thoughts or ideas from my fellow DU'ers? If anybody can think of any other plausible explanation, I'd love to hear it. .

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Melania Plagerism on Purpose? Distract Media from Trump Ignorance? Suck all airtime from Hillary? (Original Post) NAO Jul 2016 OP
I hate conspiracy theories...especially when the conspirators are notably not that bright brooklynite Jul 2016 #1
his campaign apparatus is undisciplined, unprofessional and out of its league-- and it's showing LanternWaste Jul 2016 #2
Completely agree. Nt NCTraveler Jul 2016 #7
Cryptomnesia might explain it. lapucelle Jul 2016 #3
Prevent damage by causing damage? Doctor Jack Jul 2016 #4
Not sure about 4. NCTraveler Jul 2016 #5
general ineptness and laziness from all involved. geek tragedy Jul 2016 #6
Cryptomnesia is a very interesting concept. 3catwoman3 Jul 2016 #8
 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
2. his campaign apparatus is undisciplined, unprofessional and out of its league-- and it's showing
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 04:49 PM
Jul 2016

Clinton's campaign doesn't need the airtime if it's taken up with the buffoonish antics of Trump's. At this rate, his campaign is its own worst enemy, and the Democrats need say nothing, and merely sit back and let Trump's campaign self-implode all on its own.

My guess is that his campaign apparatus is simply undisciplined, unprofessional and out of its league-- and it's showing. One can only hide incompetence so long.

lapucelle

(18,037 posts)
3. Cryptomnesia might explain it.
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 04:50 PM
Jul 2016

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Doctor Jack

(3,072 posts)
4. Prevent damage by causing damage?
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 04:55 PM
Jul 2016

That doesn't make sense. That would be like if I was afraid that I was going to get in an accident on my drive to work, so instead I just torch my car.

Let's go with occam's razor. They fucked up because it is a campaign run by amateurs and idiots.

 

NCTraveler

(30,481 posts)
5. Not sure about 4.
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 04:57 PM
Jul 2016

Clinton isn't fretting over losing air time during their convention. It's a part of politics and the time republicans are getting really doesn't seem to be positive. It's a known that the other parties conventions are going to briefly limit your time.

I think they are beyond disorganized.

Bill Clinton speech, if he gives one, will be read by very qualified and trusted people. He is a former President and often a brilliant wordsmith. I would really like to know how her speech went through its channels.

3catwoman3

(23,812 posts)
8. Cryptomnesia is a very interesting concept.
Tue Jul 19, 2016, 07:18 PM
Jul 2016

While I was in grad school, writing paper after paper, I became convinced that there were no original thoughts left to be had, that everything I might think of must have already been said by someone else, somewhere else. As a result, I became "plagiaro-phobic," to coin a term. I attributed practically everything, which, in the days before word processors, made typing papers a major pain in the ass. My professors seemed content with my work, so I did well, but I was always afraid that I might unintentionally use someone else's thoughts.

Roget's Thesaurus was my best friend.

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