Joy Reid challenged her MSNBC colleagues to not be so quick to excuse the apparent plagiarism in Melania Trump’s speech at the opening night of the Republican National Convention. She urged them not to downplay the similarities as the work of disorganized staff, and asked them if First Lady Michelle Obama would have received similar treatment in 2008.

Hallie Jackson on Tuesday morning asked MSNBC contributors for their reactions to Ms. Trump’s speech.

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“I’ll start by quoting a guy called Tom Nichols, who’s a conservative and very prominent on Twitter, who said, ‘Ask yourself if Michelle Obama would have been given a pass had she done the same thing in 2008?'” Reid began.

“I think we’re all very quickly passing the responsibility onto staff. Clearly, this is a campaign that is poorly staffed. I think that has been clear for a long time. But they sent Melania Trump over to Matt Lauer to say that she wrote it [the speech].”

Reid turned her attention to her colleagues: “But we’re immediately dismissing the idea that she had anything to do with it. I doubt that we would dismiss the idea that Michelle Obama had anything to do with it.”

“She’s an adult woman,” Reid continued.” She’s grown up. She has participated in the delivery of this speech. She gave the speech. So I think you have to give responsibilty — sure, to the staff, the campaign management has been poor here — but Melania Trump did give the speech and Michelle Obama wouldn’t have gotten a pass.”

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