Gone are the days where politicians can be sneaky and get away with it.
I woke up this Tuesday with the news that Melania Trump had been caught lifting huge sections of her speech (at the GOP on Monday) from a speech that Michelle Obama had given in 2008.
Here is just one example of which there were quite a few.
“Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do,” Obama told the gathering of Democrats in 2008.
Trump told GOP delegates on Monday: “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.
Twitter won’t let you get away with that
Within minutes, Twitter had two trends going – the aptly named #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes as well as the Black Twitter #BeckyWithTheBorrowedSpeech, both which provided hilarious reading, for those outside of the Trump family.
The Famous Quotes tag basically became an impromptu hashtagging game with people trying to come up with the best other quotes she may choose to commandeer. Here are some of the ones I came up with:
You can’t handle the speech. (From the movie #AFewGoodMentions)
You had me at “Your word is your bond”.
I’m not bad, I just plagiarise that way.
I’m also just a girl standing in front of an audience, asking you not to google key phrases of this speech.
They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom of (picking previously used) speeches.
Ask not what your country’s previous first lady’s speechwriter can do for you…
The Becky tag was more direct humor or throwing shade at Melania’s actions. Needless to say, Twitter had a field day. When will people learn that you cannot get away with anything with social media these days? No longer is there a fact checker or two making sure a story is legit, but the whole world it watching and waiting for you to trip up.
Hopefully, this will remind those in the public eye, at least for the next couple of days, that sticking to the truth is a much safer and healthier option for all. What did you think of the whole affair?