Paul Manafort: As far as we’re concerned, the ‘speech is Melania’s speech’

CLEVELAND — Donald Trump’s campaign chairman on Wednesday said Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention on Monday was her own and the campaign is moving on, after similarities between Mrs. Trump’s speech and a 2008 address by first lady Michelle Obama had been litigated throughout the second day of the GOP convention Tuesday.

“We really don’t know what was done and who it was done by,” Mr. Manafort said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “As far as we’re concerned, the speech is Melania’s speech.”

“We’re talking about 50 words out of 1400,” he said. “The thoughts … are part of the speech, but the speech itself talks about her immigrant status, her love of country, her love of husband.”

“These are her stories, these are her messages,” Mr. Manafort said. “What she communicated to the American people Monday night is a genuine message from her heart and as far as we’re concerned, that’s the end of it.”

During her speech Monday evening, Mrs. Trump had spoken about hard work and passing on values to the next generation at one point during the address.

“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 — that you treat people with respect,” she said.

In her speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Mrs. Obama had said: “Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, that 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.”

On Monday, Mrs. Trump then said: “That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our 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 to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

Mrs. Obama went on to say in her address: “And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values and to 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 hard for them.”