Is Roger Ebert Stealing from Thomas Friedman?

When I read this article by Thomas Friedman, it seemed pretty bizarre.
He starts out by talking about how the government was charging for 911 phone calls, drags the Greatest Generation into his argument, and talks about how maybe Obama can't get health care passed because Republicans don't understand how he's trying to rebuild. He has the audacity to blame the current deficit on Republicans and suggests that the health care bill will REDUCE the deficit. He ends the commentary by suggesting that if "Obama fails" to pass his agenda, we all fail.

I thought it was a rambling and bizarre train of thought.

Then I read Eberts column a week later. At first, I zipped past him referencing Friendman, because he did it in one small aside. But his column is almost a repeat of exactly what Friedman said.
I wonder if Ebert even knew he was doing it.