Thursday, July 1, 2021

Plagiarism Soap Opera

 This book 'scandal' with Annalena Baerbock (Green Party Chancellor candidate) continues on.

Basic facts?  The plagiarism 'hunter' suggests around 14 issues in Baerbock's new book (it's been out for about ten days now).  If this had been just one or two....the plagiarism chatter would be minimum.  The suggestion is that these comments in the book were her ideas....when they were really suggested by others.

The fact that public forum TV shows from ZDF and ARD are shutdown for summer vacation right now, and the EM soccer business is the number one discussion topic presently?  Yeah, so this is not getting five-star coverage.  You can probably walk into a pub and bring up the subject, and more than half only know there's some kind of scandal with Baerbock, but they can't cite any facts.  

Will Baerbock just continue on?  I would suggest that when the polls come out next week, and if she drops three points.....there will be some emergency meeting of the Green Party, and she might be persuaded to drop out....handing the mission over to Robert Habeck (for most of 2020, he was considered the primary guy for this campaign).  If there is only a one-point drop in the polls....they might just continue on with Baerbock.

Is this all a big deal?  For the regular working-class voters?  No.  Plagiarism in the German news media and social media over the past twenty years.....has become a major deal.  I'd suggest for any German politician writing a book today....to hire up a plagiarism-hunter to review the book before publishing and save yourself hassle.

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