The White House declined to comment directly on the plagiarism charges surrounding Melania Trump’s speech at the GOP convention Monday night, but instead recalled the strong reception the convention address Michelle Obama delivered in 2008 received.
“As it relates to Mrs. Trump’s speech, I will let all of you weigh in on that,” presidential press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Tuesday during his daily press briefing.
He then shifted to remind reporters of the “enthusiastic reception and strong reviews” the first lady received when she delivered the speech about her husband, the same address that the Trump campaign is accused of plagiarizing in part.
Earnest said Michelle Obama received those positive reviews because “of her life story and the values she and her husband believe and try to instill in their kids.”
“These are the same values of integrity and hard work that President Obama expects from everyone in the White House. These are the same values that have animated his two terms as president,” Earnest said.
While he said Obama did not watch the GOP convention, he said he is “obviously” aware of the news coverage that Melania’s speech contained several passages that had identical word-for-word lines. Yet Earnest repeatedly declined to say how Obama reacted.
“I’ll let him speak to that,” the next time he is asked directly, Earnest said.
The Trump campaign has so far denied that Melania’s speech plagiarized Michelle Obama’s from the 2008 Democratic convention, arguing that the two addresses contain common language and express similar values. Campaign officials also have said they have no intention of firing the speechwriter, or anyone else, over the similarities.
Earnest said he wouldn’t presume to offer the Trump campaign advice—”I’m sure they don’t really want it either”—and that he does not know what would happen to a White House speechwriter if he or she was accused of plagiarizing.
Earnest noted that also back in 2008 then-Sen. Obama was accused of lifting ideas from Deval Patrick, then the Democratic governor of Massachusetts. Obama acknowledged the similarity and chalked it up to discussing the speech with Patrick and exchanging thoughts.
“The president had been in fact inspired by Gov. Patrick to incorporate some of that language into his stump speech,” Earnest said. “The point is, when asked, the president thought it was important to give credit to his friend Deval Patrick, who had been a source of inspiration for him.”
