Melania Trump speech appears to plagiarize Michelle Obama

by Lisa Hagen - 07/19/16 12:17 AM ET

Melania Trump’s highly anticipated speech at the Republican National Convention Monday night appears to have nearly copied a paragraph from Michelle Obama’s speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s wife was describing how her parents imparted on her values about working hard and treating people with respect.

{mosads}It included phrases and even precise words that were identical to the first lady’s 2008 address.

Here is the paragraph in question from Melania Trump’s speech:

“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. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily life.”

Here is the paragraph from Obama’s 2008 speech:

“And 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,” Obama said, according to a transcript from CNN.

It’s not clear who wrote Trump’s speech. Convention speeches are often written by campaign aides, though Trump in an interview with NBS said she wrote the speech.

“I wrote it, with as little help as possible,” she said.