Encomium
Donald Trump’s race to the White House gets tougher as Melania Trump comes under the heat for stealing Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech when she delivered the headlining oration at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, yesterday (Tuesday, July 19). The 46-year-old potential first lady who is Donald Trump’s third wife came to the limelight for the first time in her 11 year marriage to the 2016 U.S. presidential candidate.
After the cheering applause of the crowd, critics took a closer look at the former model and fashion designer’s speech. And few minutes later, she was called out on the media for plagiarizing Michelle Obama’s 2008 Convention speech.
The similarities are really glaring.
According to Trump’s 2016 speech: “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
“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.”
And on the other hand, Obama’s 2008 speech read: “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.
“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.”
While reports have it that this could be a set-up by Donald Trump’s Ex-Campaign Manager, Corey Lewandowski, in efforts to sabotage Melania Trump and frustrate Donald’s journey to the White House, Lewandowski who was fired on June 20, 2016, by Trump cleared the air that he holds no grudge against the Trumps and should not be linked with such accusation .
Donald Trump and his campaign team simply commended Melania’s speech without a single reference to the allegations of plagiarism. Much later, Melania granted Matt Lauer an interview where she claimed to have written the speech herself without plagiarizing anyone.
The Convention continues today, July 20, 2016, with the theme “Make America First Again,” Donald’s third child, Eric Frederick Trump will be speaking alongside Newt Gingrich, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz and VP nominee Mike Pence.
Away from the plagiarism accusation, here are 5 things you should know about USA’s potential first lady, Melania Trump:
- Melania is a polyglot: She speaks five languages – Slovenian, English, French, Serbian and German
- Melania was born and raised outside America: she grew up in a concrete tower block in former northern Yugoslavia during the rule of Communist dictator, Tito; she will become the second foreign-born first lady after John Quincy Adams’ wife Louisa, who was born in England, if Trump wins.
- Melania will be the first lady to have posed nude: In 2000, she posed nude for a GQ photo shoot.
- Melania will be third first lady to have had successful modeling careers in the USA after Pat Nixon and Betty Ford – both had (clothed) modelling careers. She began her modeling career at age 16, and has since worked in Milan, Paris and New York appearing on the covers of fashion magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Glamour, New York Magazine, Elle and FHM.
- Melania is the mother of Mini-Donald: Barron. Melania’s son is a Mini-Donald; the 10-year-old boy is raised as a replica of Donald Trump and shares some similarities, he loves bossing people around, playing golf with his dad and is often seen wearing a suit and tie.
- Melania has been involved with several social causes, including the Police Athletic League, the Boys Club of New York and the American Red Cross.
- Melania is a successful entrepreneur who runs a jewelry collection- Melania Timepieces & Jewelry, and her own skincare line- Melania caviar Complex.
- Seyifunmi Adebote for encomium.ng
