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Clinton Plagiarized Me
TPM Cafe has lately been getting its knickers in a knot over Clinton's comparison between herself and America's most famous boxer, Rocky Balboa. A very interesting comparison. Very interesting. And very familiar. Let's take a little ride in the TPM time machine...
*** brief interlude with psychedelic music and weird colors ***
1:05 PM, March 5th, 2008. Talking Points Memo. New York, New York.
Genghis waxes philosophical on Clinton's victories in Texas and Ohio. He shoots off a post to TPM, entitled "Of Underdogs and Old Boxers". Loyal and not so loyal readers assume that he was writing about underwear. Not so. Genghis chose to compare Hillary Clinton to...
[Pregnant pause]
Rocky Balboa!
If I may quote myself...
There's also a particularly interesting series on Hollywood's exploitation of underdog themes here:*** another psychedelic interlude ****
http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2007/02/20/dispositionist-situational-characters/
This series examines the inspirational story of Rocky Balboa, among other films. Does the following sound familiar?
Now in his 50s, Rocky overcomes age, and the doubts and advice of everyone he knows, respects, and loves to take on (and, in effect, beat) the far younger, faster, stronger heavyweight champion of the world. And how, you might ask, does he manage this impossible feat? The answer is simple: an unwillingness to be moved by situation or, put differently, a tenacious will and unflinching disposition...
The second piece of the series discusses Rocky's battle with outside forces. Replace "government bureaucrats" with the media and demands for Clinton to concede, and the following should also sound familiar:
Consider that Rocky Balboa’s biggest single obstacle isn’t his age, or his willingness to train, or even the sincere doubts of his loved ones. No, it’s those pesky government bureaucrats who, at least initially, deny him his license to fight and thus his “right” to pursue his idiosyncratic version of personal happiness.
For Clinton to win, she has to continue to push the story of suffering under the heavy hand of the media and misogyny...As Rocky himself articulates the old cliche: "There ain't nothin' over till it's over."
3:25 PM, April 1st, 2008. Somewhere in Pennsylvania.
Hillary Clinton: Let me tell you something. When it comes to finishing the fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit.
Coincidence? Great minds thinking alike? Genghis a secret consultant to the Clinton campaign? Or shall we apply Occam's Razor. Did Hillary Clinton read Genghis' blog and, without contributing a comment or so much as a recommendation, flagrantly steal his intellectual property?
I know what some of you trolls are thinking: So what if she did? What's the big deal?
Let's hop back in the time machine one more time:
******* psychedelic interlude #3 *******
8:39 PM, February 21, 2008, Austin, TX
Hillary Clinton: It's change you can Xerox.
The historical record is a bitch, ain't it, Senator? Indicted by your own sad one-liner. And if you think this is over, you're living in a fairy tale. I intend to see you indicted as well by the Canadian courts, where they don't look kindly on plagiarism. I hope that you like Celine Dionne.
(For more on Canada anti-plagiarism law, read http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/03/what-really-happened-in-canada.php)
Comments (33)
Great post. Recommended!
April 3, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm glad your post isn't anti-Rocky. He's been taking too much guff around here lately. Lets not ruin his good name just because Hillary thought him a convenient analogy.
Obama/Rocky VII '08 (blue collar's in the bag)
April 3, 2008 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh ha! ha! Okay, it was the roman numerals that got me. Painfully funny.
April 3, 2008 11:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kudos, Genghis, I think
I always get a little nervous when people start quoting themselves excessively, though.
Fargin' Canadians. This smells like conspiracy. Could be the beer lobby, or the recycling bin. It is garbage night day. I should have rinsed those Romulan Ale cans out better, I guess.
April 3, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, I think. I get nervous when they start referring to themselves in the third person, the first sign of incurable megalomania. Consider what happened to Fake Sinbad.
April 3, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis,
I think I really like this post. So what's the music playing in your psychedelic interlude? I hope it's Hendrix or Zeppelin.
By the way, Zeppelin and Hendrix are the treatments prescribed for Celine Dion-induced psychosis.
April 3, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously, laurajordan, Zeppelin? Psychedelic? What are you tripping on?
I was thinking Jefferson Airplane. That's not an endorsement; I just think that the music might be appropriate for 60s era time travel.
April 4, 2008 1:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dude. Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"? When I listen to that I don't have to drop acid to hallucinate. Try it!
April 4, 2008 2:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or "Kashmir"!
Though might I recommend some Os Mutantes to maintain the hipness?
April 4, 2008 5:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...
April 3, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Imitation is the sincerest form of theft.
April 3, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis inspires Hillary to keep running!
April 3, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have said, and I will repeat it, that knowing what I know now, I would never have posted it. I mean, obviously you have to weigh everything as you make your decision. I have taken responsibility for my post. The mistakes were made by this candidate who misled this party and these voters into a campaign that should not be continued.
April 3, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
(correction)
...to keep running up the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum!
April 3, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
By not giving you your due credit, she has betrayed you Genghis.
Judas!
(an anonymous Obama advisor has confirmed to me that Hillary does read TPM reader blogs and that she did steal this line from Genghis.)
April 3, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
That would be a classic case of the pot calling the kettle Judas. Don't think that I haven't forgotten about the way you ripped off my rochambeau solution to the Dem primary. You and Hill can play "drop the soap" together in an Ottawa prison.
April 3, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think that I just double-negated my lack of forgetfulness.
April 3, 2008 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't cha feel sorry for any guy named Judas right about now. Not that his life was probably a piece of cake before....just saying.
April 3, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember clearly getting onto the TPM website and there was supposed to be a rock, paper, scissors contest greeting me.
But because of the dangers of Hillbot snipers, the whole blog post was cancelled and I just ran with my head down to my car.
April 3, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
"And if you think this is over, you're living in a fairy tale. I intend to see you indicted as well by the Canadian courts, where they don't look kindly on plagiarism."
To paraphrase Tony Montana, "So dress warm, Hillary-mang... Because iss cold..."
April 3, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
HAH! You're good at this!
April 3, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stick to posts about me and I would make you a star.
April 3, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha. Next time. You can't be the subject of my every post. I'd be typecast.
April 3, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is a good topic for you:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/03/air-america-host-randi-rh_n_94863.html
What is wrong with you people?
Whacked out on prescription drugs?
Geez.
April 3, 2008 7:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey! Don't put Randi Rhodes and me under that "you people" umbrella!
April 3, 2008 10:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dude, I'm totally.. wait.. did you hear that? Okay, wait.. Dude! Okay, what I was saying was that I'm totally trippin' after those psychedelic interludes. Wait, what? Did you say something? Dude...
April 3, 2008 7:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome! That sounds really convincing...like you have personal experience--either first-hand or second-hand--with trippin'. While I read it, I can almost hear a record skipping over and over in the background...
April 3, 2008 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Personal experience? Me?
Nah...
April 3, 2008 10:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Haahhah! Wow, she didn't even click recommend?!? That's pretty low. It's a testament to your journalism that you could discover this.
April 3, 2008 11:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
lbp, my favorite aspect of your posting style is the way you blitzkrieg a thread. Seldom do you leave a single comment. Rather, you rappel down the thread, pinning witticisms to the wall as you descend. (I'm not being sarcastic; I enjoy said witticisms.)
April 4, 2008 12:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if this isn't the pot calling the kettle Judas!
April 4, 2008 1:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
lol
April 4, 2008 8:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
And yes, I've infiltrated TPM's database. I know who has recommend and who has not, who's been naughty and who's been nice.
April 4, 2008 1:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
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