If you were listening to Melania Trump, the wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Monday night, you may have had a sense of déjà vu.
And that's because first lady Michelle Obama said almost the exact same words during her speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Watch Michelle Obama speak at the '08 DNC below (5:25 mark):
Transcript via NPR:
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.
Now watch Melania Trump apparently steal from that speech at the ’16 RNC below (2:04 mark):
Transcript via The Root:
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, that 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 or 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 is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.
If Melania Trump has learned anything about American values, it is apparently to steal the labor and performance of black women in this country. Yes, of course, the first lady had a speechwriter, but the point remains the same.
The Trumps' vision of “Make America White Again” is to boost themselves to power on the backs of people of color, and they once again proved that Monday night.
Watch a mashup of the speeches below:
H/t to Jarrett Hill for amplifying Melania Trump’s apparent plagiarism on Twitter.