CLEVELAND — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Tuesday morning that the plagiarism charges against Melania Trump are a “trivial matter” and predicted they would not harm her husband’s standing with voters.
Donald Trump’s campaign was under fire over a speech his wife gave Monday night here at the Republican National Convention that was strikingly similar to remarks First Lady Michelle Obama delivered in 2008. Asked after a Texas delegation breakfast about the fiasco, Cornyn, the Senate Majority Whip, told reporters he had not seen a comparison of the two speeches but did not see much controversy there regardless.
“Frankly, I think it’s a trivial matter that doesn’t count for much,” Cornyn said. “I think it’s just amazing the extent we’re being distracted from the most important issues.”
Asked about the potential for the plagiarism allegations to distract from the convention, Cornyn suggested Trump’s campaign should get some leeway.
“These are not as easy to put on – conventions – as they look,” Cornyn said. “Of course the Democratic have a lot folks in lockstep, and I would say the Trump folks are a lot newer at this, and maybe there’s a few stumbles here and there.”
Voters, Cornyn concluded, “won’t care a flip about the speech last night.”
Earlier, Cornyn was asked if the convention was “in trouble” after Monday, which also included vocal opposition on the floor from anti-Trump delegates.
“Oh, no,” Cornyn replied with a wink. “This is a normal convention.”
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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune – a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Top image: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wraps up his keynote address to delegates at the Republican Party of Texas convention in Dallas on May 13, 2016. Photo by Bob Daemmrich, courtesy of the Texas Tribune.
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I am not surprised that Trump followers brush this whole thing off. I mean, we all know how ridiculous it is for somebody to commit plagiarism especially someone who is seeking to be Americas next first lady. But in the end, these followers are certain that this country is so far gone from what they feel what America is supposed to be like, they will stop at nothing to get trump elected even if it means saying and doing the most outrageous things. I ask myself, when he says lets make America great again, what time period was that?
I have no idea what time period in America he is referring too.
Politicians always try to make the people believe the things they have done wrong are no big deal. She should just admit she plagiarized the speech and Hillary should admit she mishandled classified material.
The real interesting part here, I think, is this:
“Cornyn, the Senate Majority Whip, told reporters he had not seen a comparison of the two speeches”
Yeah, it’s no big deal that you’re completely unaware of the goings-on at your own party’s national convention to select a Presidential candidate.