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In 2010, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, Vaughn Ward, ran for the Republican nomination for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. His primary opposition was state representative, Raul Labrador. Ward was endorsed by Sarah Palin. He had the resume and the appearance to make him the favorite to win the primary.

But something happened on the way to Congress. In January 2010, Ward stood on a stage, with Dirk Kempthorne looking over his shoulder, and delivered a beautiful, well received, speech about his outlook for the country. But, within hours it became clear that Ward had lifted most of his remarks from the famous 2004 Democratic Convention keynote address of Barack Obama. Not long after that Ward’s campaign collapsed.

On the first night of the Republican National Convention Melania Trump delivered a speech in support of her husband’s candidacy. As we now know only 93 percent (according to Chris Christie) of it was original. The rest had been lifted from Michelle Obama’s 2008 address to the DNC. The fault lay, apparently not with Mrs. Trump, but with her speech writer.

Trump, famous for the mantra “You’re fired,” did nothing. Well, not nothing. He forgave longtime employee, Meredith McIver, who came forward to admit her error.

Conversely, in 2008, foreign policy adviser Samantha Power referred to Hillary Clinton as a “monster” in an interview with a journalist. Power resigned under pressure. But she found redemption and is now US ambassador to the United Nations.

So how tough is Donald Trump? Really, how tough?

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint