Melania Trump (www.nbcnews.com).
by Steve Timmer
Jul 19, 2016, 8:00 PM

Defending Melania Trump

I like to think that one of my better traits is that if I think somebody is being unjustly picked on, even if he is my pitched enemy, I will come to his — or her — aid; it’s something I learned from my father.

I didn’t listen to Melania Trump’s speech to the RNC on Monday night; the whole convention thing frankly bores me. But by all accounts, she acquitted herself pretty well, especially for someone not accustomed to speaking in a giant venue and before a national audience.

If you possess even the smallest amount of empathy in your calcified little heart, you’ll congratulate her.

There are many news reports, though, that say that Mrs. Trump “allegedly” plagiarized a couple of sentences or paragraphs from an earlier speech on a similar occasion by Michelle Obama. (No news outlet that I am aware of has the cajones to come out and say “she plagiarized.”) Whether these were original thoughts by Michelle Obama herself remain undiscussed.

Mrs. Trump, and those persons assisting her, of course, apparently examined some earlier speeches from persons in a similar boat, which is what I know I would do. I think you’d be foolish not to, really.

No one, as far as I know, has suggested that the words uttered by Mrs. Trump were not expressions of honest sentiment. But a lot of people want to treat her like a sophomore in an English literature class. I decline to do that.

If ankle-biting chihuahuas are the best we can do, we’ll lose, my friends, and deservedly so.

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