Speechwriter Meredith McIver issued a statement Wednesday that she mistakenly inserted Michelle Obama’s words into Melania Trump’s address to the Republican National Convention on Monday.
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His eldest child, Donald Trump Jr, announced the support of NY, their home state, during a roll-call vote at the Republican National Convention, ensuring Trump had the majority of delegates – 1,237 – needed to contest the Nov 8 USA presidential election against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
McIver, who said she is an in-house staff writer at the Trump Organization, explained that the mistake happened when Melania Trump read McIver passages over the phone.
“It’s just another example, as far as we’re concerned, that when Hillary Clinton is threatened by a female, the first thing she does is try to destroy the person”, he said at a briefing for reporters.
But the incident prompted several Republicans to point to another copycat controversy, this one with MA roots: President Obama lifting speech passages from former governor Deval Patrick. McIver said she took notes and later included some of the phrasing in the final draft.
Media captionDid Melania Trump’s speech copy Michelle Obama’s?
“I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused”, she added. “No harm was meant”.
Asked whether he would campaign for Trump, Gingrich answered “Yes” in no uncertain terms. The campaign spent much of Tuesday dismissing the plagiarism charges as politically motivated and overblown. McIver’s explanation takes the blame off Melania, but it also confirms Melania knew the whole time the highly specific phrases she was saying came directly from Michelle Obama’s speech.
Donovan called Trump “a personal friend” in one interview with the Observer, but later denounced some of the Queens-born businessman’s debate antics and announced his personal support for Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s candidacy.
Though not an experienced political hand, Trump has found himself at the center of his father’s unlikely presidential campaign.
For Mrs. Trump, 46, a Slovenian-born former model who is Donald Trump’s third wife and 24 years his junior, the controversy marred a moment in the spotlight that had been months in the making.
The Trump campaign has tried to gloss over the rough treatment.
“This is my point, and I hear it a lot from her staff, is all I have to offer is words”.
The rebranding effort continues on Day 3.
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In a rare move by the RNC and the Trump campaign, Cruz’s speech is not being vetted. “Why now?” he said.
