Oops…
The theme of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night is “our New American Moment.” According to excerpts released by the White House President Trump will tell Americans tonight, “This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream.”
There’s just one slight problem: He plagiarized it from Hillary Clinton.
Clinton first said it in 2009, as then President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State, during her Senate confirmation hearing:
“I am humbled to be a public servant, and honored by the responsibility placed on me, should I be confirmed by our President-elect who embodies the American dream, not only here at home, but far beyond our shores. No matter how daunting the challenges may be, I have a steadfast faith in this country and in our people, and am I proud to be an American at the dawning of this new American moment.”
And again, on the morning of September 8, 2010, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it as she addressed the Council on Foreign Relations.
“And now, after years of war and uncertainty, people are wondering what the future holds at home and abroad,” Clinton told the members of the nearly 100-year old prestigious think tank.
“So let me say it clearly: the United States can, must and will lead in this new century. Indeed, the complexities and connections of today’s world have yielded a new American moment,” she said.
Oops.
Former NSC spokesman for President Barack Obama Tommy Vietor and NBC News both recognized the phrase.
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