This combination of file pictures created on July 19, 2016 shows Melania Trump (L), wife of presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, addressing delegates on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 18, 2016 and Michelle Obama, wife of US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, greeting the audience at the Democratic National Convention 2008 at the Pepsi Center in Denver on August 25, 2008.聽/ AFP PHOTO / ALEX WONG AND PAUL J. RICHARDS
CLEVELAND,聽United States聽鈥� Donald Trump faced an embarrassing plagiarism scandal Tuesday that tarnished his wife Melania鈥檚 prime-time speech to a Republican National Convention already roiled by an opening day rank-and-file revolt.
It was a rough start to the four-day buildup to Trump鈥檚 presidential nomination, one designed for maximum media exposure for the Republican standard bearer and his supporters.
With millions watching on TV at home, Melania Trump delivered a defense of her husband and his bid to be the next president of the United States before thousands of cheering convention delegates.
But unmistakable similarities between a passage in her speech about her guiding values and one in a speech given by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention soon came to light.
A senior Trump communications adviser, Jason Miller, acknowledged in a statement that Melania Trump鈥檚 team of writers 鈥渋n some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking.鈥�
The development came after a chaotic start to the Republican gathering in Cleveland, which erupted in jeers from Trump opponents after they were denied a chance to speak.
鈥淲e deserve to be heard, this is the people鈥檚 convention!鈥� said Diana Shores, a delegate from Virginia, while pro-Trump delegates tried to drown out the rebels with shouts of 鈥淪hame! Shame!鈥�
Many are furious that the party of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt will be led by a man who described Mexicans as rapists and advocated barring Muslims from entering the country.
But Trump fans insisted delegates heed the will of the grassroots of the party and make him the Republican nominee without equivocation.
The billionaire won a thumping victory in a series of statewide party elections, garnering more than 13 million votes 鈥� the most of any Republican nominee ever.
This was meant to be Trump鈥檚 moment 鈥� the point at which he put the lid on Republican divisions and marched the party toward November鈥檚 election and the White House.
Making a surprise cameo appearance at the gathering in Cleveland to introduce his wife, the bombastic tycoon showed confidence that belied the day鈥檚 spasm of public division.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to win so big,鈥� said Trump. 鈥淟adies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to present the next First Lady of the United States.鈥�
Ahead of the convention he had tried to assuage conservative critics and bring the party together by naming Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
First the lady
But it was Trump鈥檚 Slovenian-born wife Melania, until now only a minor presence in the campaign, who stepped up as his chief advocate on the convention鈥檚 opening day.
She took the stage with all the allure of a former model and in a strong accent made the case for Americans to entrust Trump with the presidency.
鈥淒onald is, and always has been, an amazing leader,鈥� said the 46-year-old. 鈥淣ow, he will go to work for you.鈥�
鈥淗e does not give up,鈥� she said of her husband, portraying him as a loving father and successful businessman who would be a strong and compassionate president.
鈥淚f you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you, he鈥檚 the guy,鈥� she said.
She also sought to put a more human face on a candidate many voters see as brash and egotistical.
鈥淒onald intends to represent all the people, not just some of the people. That includes Christians and Jews and Muslims. It includes Hispanics and African-Americans and Asians and the poor and the middle class.鈥�
Plagiarism
No sooner had the speech been delivered, though, than it was overshadowed by the plagiarism controversy.
In a passage that appeared to be lifted from Michelle Obama鈥檚 speech eight years ago, Melania discussed her parents influence.
鈥淢y 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 me to show the values and morals in my daily life. That is the lesson that I continue to pass along to our son,鈥� Melania Trump said.
鈥淎nd we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.鈥�
In her 2008 speech, Michelle Obama said:
鈥淎nd 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鈥檙e going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don鈥檛 know them, and even if you don鈥檛 agree with them.
鈥淎nd Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children 鈥� and all children in this nation 鈥� to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.鈥�
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