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Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg accused of plagiarizing Obama in motivational weekend tweet

By Joseph Wulfsohn Fox News
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Buttigieg says Democrats are in trouble if Bloomberg, Sanders are the only choices

2020 Democrat hopeful Pete Buttigieg talks to Fox News in the spin room after the primary debate in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg is facing plagiarism claims over a weekend tweet of his that resembled a motivational statement from former President Obama.

"If we can light up a high school gym -- we can light a neighborhood. If we can light up a neighborhood -- we can light a city. If we can light up a city -- we can light up our country," Buttigieg tweeted Saturday.

However, some critics on social media recalled a similarly themed remark made by the 44th president.

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"One voice can change a room, and if one voice can change a room, then it can change a city, and if it can change a city, it can change a state," Obama said over a decade ago.

Some accused the former mayor of "plagiarism" while others had some fun at his expense.

"Oh COME ON! I know Pete thinks he’s the next Obama but this is ridiculous," "The View" co-host Meghan McCain reacted.

"[That feeling when] you copy your friend’s homework and make a few slight changes so it won’t look too obvious," Daily Caller social media manager Logan Hall quipped.

Even Biden campaign digital director Rob Flaherty highlighted both remarks.

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When asked about the tweet, the Buttigieg campaign told Fox News it was a "throwback" to a rally held in Sparks, Nev., where the lights went out, prompting attendees to pull out their cellphones to use them as lights.

Following his strong showings in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Buttigieg came at a distant third in Saturday's Nevada caucuses, where he earned just 14.3 percent of support following Sen. Bernie Sanders' 46.8 percent and former Vice President Joe Biden's 20.2 percent.