Sir, – We should accept that there was no deliberate plagiarism involved in Melania Trump's speech ("Trump aides deny wife's speech lifted Michelle Obama's words", July 20th).
If the spouse of a US presidential candidate is required to give a speech that is bland, mildly inspiring, full of sweetness and light and non-specific hopefulness and the kind of sentimentality that appeals to many Americans, we should not be surprised that two speechwriters would come up with many of the same crass clichés. – Yours, etc,
AODH Ó DOMHNAILL,
Dundrum,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Politicians could avoid charges of plagiarism if they wrote their own speeches, avoiding the platitudes, banal observations and clichés that their speechwriters recycle. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.