Not that the cartoonist in question probably cares all that much being a liberal and all, but this isn’t the first time Obama the “authentic hope and change” candidate has been caught cribbing lines from someone else.

On Tuesday, for the third time in four days, Obama borrowed a lengthy bubble quote from Washington Post cartoonist Tom Toles. He did not acknowledge the origin of the quote the first time he used it and credited the cartoon only after the Post contacted the Obama campaign to ask about the first use.

“John McCain says he’s about change, too. And so, I guess his whole angle is, ‘Watch out, George Bush. Except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove-style politics … we’re really gonna shake things up in Washington,’” Obama said during a rally Tuesday in Lebanon, Va.

As it turns out, Toles’ cartoon in The Washington Post last Friday depicted McCain addressing the White House with the caption: “Watch out, Mr. Bush! With the exception of economic policy and energy policy and social issues and tax policy and foreign policy and Supreme Court appointments and Rove-style politics, we’re coming in there to shake things up!”

Obama delivered the same applause line during speeches in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday and Farmington Hills, Mich., on Monday. Only during the Monday event did he attribute the line to a cartoonist.

I’m sure the media will shrug this off, just as they shrugged off the fact that Obama ripped off lines from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

But when it came to light that Sarah Palin had (gasp!) speech writers help her with her acceptance address at the Republican National Convention?  Oh baby, that was news!

Just to sum up the way the media handles these things: Obama stealing lines from other people without attribution? Not a big deal.

Palin using speech writers like pretty much every other national politician in the country does?  Attack!