Michelle Obama and Melania Trump both spoke about learning values from their parents. Both said that we need to teach future generations that they can achieve their dreams through hard work. They also both talked about treating others with respect and keeping your promises (your word is your bond.)

If the Obama administration had demonstrated treating people with respect, or had shown young people that hard work brings success, or even acted as though promises were something more than hot air, Melania wouldn’t have needed to talk about any of this at all.

Instead there is more division among Americans than we’ve seen in decades. Young people have bleak futures where they are saddled with debt from student loans but have poor chances at getting a good job.  And, we have been fed a constant stream of lies by Obama and the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

(Continue reading for full transcripts and excerpts of the similar parts.)

Melania, speaking about her parents:

Their integrity, compassion and intelligence reflect to this day on me and for my love of family and America.

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. That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son, and 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.

You can read the full transcript of Melania Trump’s speech.

Michelle, in 2008:

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.

And 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 – and all children in this nation – 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.

 Read the full transcript of Michelle Obama’s speech.

The similar bits are small parts of the whole. I’m a bit surprised that anyone is accusing Melania of plagiarism since Biden has been caught plagiarizing multiple times and Barack Obama lifted parts from speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Governor Deval Patrick.

The rules are different depending on whether you have a (D) or an (R) behind your name.