Melania Trump does not advocate respect for people with whom she disagrees

By now you've heard about Melania Trump plagiarizing Michelle Obama. Omissions are as telling as inclusions. Consider the following:

Here's Michelle Obama. Absences highlighted, instead of copying.

"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; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them."

Here's Melania Trump:

"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, that you treat people with respect."

Notice how Trump cuts the part about "even if you don't know/agree with them."

Now that's a tell. 

Common Words: How does Trump's Plagiarism Happen

Last night, as you know, Melania Trump plagiarized Michelle Obama. Here's a link.

How does this actually happen? I'm assuming no speechwriter conspiracy. I'm also assuming Trump didn't write it herself, despite earlier claims, because the campaign has since talked about her "team of writers."

When my students end up plagiarizing, it's usually not due to attempting to sneak something by me, but through a combination of ineptitude and panic. The deadlines are approaching, they aren't sure what to write, so they skim the internet for ideas. They start grabbing a sentence here, a sentence there, and then they change some verbs around to make it "original." When it shows up in their final essay, it rings out to the professional grade as not having been written by a student.

Why wouldn't Melania Trump, or really any writer, begin the process by reading the speeches of previous potential First Ladies introducing their husbands? If she came to me to write a speech, it's what I'd do! You gotta get to know the genre first.

But then as a writer, you need to put that aside and create a draft wholly independent from the source material, because you're aware of how easy it is to plagiarize. And you check and re-check.

Today, like a student called into my office, the Trump campaign will spin this as unintentional, using "common words," claiming it's sexism, and otherwise try to move past it.

Honestly, the plagiarism doesn't matter. What does matter is the additional evidence of the utter ineptitude of the Trump team.