Right to Be Mad

A just-published book claims that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is anything but phlegmatic in his dealings with his staff. The PM is charged with being rather rude and subject to temper tantrums. There is one instance of intemperate behavior that I find quite interesting because it has to do with what could be construed as a sort of plagiarism, on his part, of speeches by Al Gore and Bill Clinton. It seems that he had employed the same ghostwriter as the American politicians, and the man cut corners by quoting himself.

Having been a ghostwriter myself for quite some time, I can understand the temptation to repeat oneself, especially when you have to address the same or similar issues over and over again. And yet, professional ethics demands that you try your best to be original and not resort to formulaic language used previously for another client. You may work in the shadows, but he or she has to stand in the spotlight.

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