RNC Official Falsely Accuses Clinton of Plagiarism
A few seconds of research reveals that this is not a De Tocqeuville quote, and it’s been used by most presidential candidates. Even if it were De Tocqueville, it’s not unusual to use well worn “Americanisms” like this one in speeches without attribution. Regardless of the missing provenance, politicians have used it repeatedly, from Eisenhower, to Reagan, to present day candidates. I’m not sure why anyone would get worried about a well worn bromide like this one.
#plagarism alert @hillaryclinton at @DemConvention “America is great bc America is good,” de Tocqueville “America is great bc she is good”
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 29, 2016
By Mark Hensch:
Spicer’s tweet references a portion of Clinton’s Thursday night address where she seemingly paraphrased Alexis de Tocqueville, the political scientist who wrote “Democracy in America.”
“But here’s the sad truth: There is no other Donald — this is it,” Clinton said in Philadelphia. “And in the end, it comes down to what Donald Trump doesn’t get: that America is great — because America is good.
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