Where would we be without social media?
Monday night, while many people across the nation watched Melania Trump deliver her speech onstage at the Republican National Convention, Jarrett Hill, a bright young man who is currently a freelance journalist based in Culver City, CA, was tuning in to the realization that parts of Trump?s speech were taken directly from First Lady Michelle Obama?s 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention.??
And he used his Twitter account to tell that truth.
In doing so, Hill broke a story that spread rapidly and would become all anybody, news anchors included, could talk about the next morning. The overnight news quickly gained traction, followed by a series of tweets, re-tweets and by morning, a running total of 18,000 views.?
Hill, a strong supporter of the Obamas, said he knew something was odd when he heard Trump recite a line that he remembered and admired from Mrs. Obama?s speech.
?It was just a line in the speech that I really admired, and it stood out to me when Melania said it. I realized that I knew those words, and I found myself finishing the sentence,? Hill was quoted as saying.
That sentence was, ?the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”?
Hill then pulled up Michelle?s speech online and compared it to Melania?s words.? He highlighted the portion, screen capped it, and tweeted it. Within an hour, the news was everywhere.
?It was definitely a millennial moment that could not have happened 15 years ago without Twitter, Google, and an online article with Michelle?s speech. It happened because of the way we use the Internet. It took about an hour after I posted my first tweet to build traction,? Hill said in a televised interview.
