Obama and Hillary: Is it really plagiarism?

In "Political Punch" there is an article by Jake Tapper called "Morning Plagiarism Charges". I read the article and was surprised that both Obama and Hillary would be so petty with each other.

The dictionary definition of plagiarism is "to pass off words or ideas of another as one's own." Must we fear that every time we open our mouth, an idea has been expressed by someone somewhere?

In Obama's case, he says that he personally spoke with men in Ohio so this was not stealing an idea from someone else, this was him having an experience that was similar to the experience of someone else in the past.

In Hillary's case, she used the exression about "taking hits" which is a very common expression and once again, she did not steal Bill Clinton's words or ideas, she had a similar experience which she expressed in a similar way. I don't know any political campaign where people don't "take their hits".


If you look at Acts Chapter 7 in the bible, you will see that in Stephen's famous last speech before he was stoned, he makes reference to many things that were expressed in the Old Testament and I am sure were spoken by others, but would we accuse him of plagiarism? When people make reference to something of common knowledge - a common experience or common expressions, to me, this doesn't constitute plagiarism in the true sense of the word.

When Jesus made reference to things that were spoken in the proverbs by Solomon, would we accuse him of plagiarism? Although the bible translators do cross reference the verses in Jesus' words and Stephen's speech, I do not think that either of these men is guilty of plagiarism just because these ideas are expressed prior or elsewhere. It is kind of like in the law of copyright where after a certain amount of time something becomes "public domain" and anyone can use it.

When I claim to say that my idea is "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" without giving credit to the late great President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, then I think I might be in trouble. Or if I say I wrote the Pledge of Allegiance!

To say I spoke to someone in Ohio and so did someone else or that I "took a few hits" and so did someone else, there is no comparison.

I wish these two would stop bickering over trivia and move forward! Thanks for the article that shows to me the absurdity of the whole thing.