McAuliffe: Hillary's probably done with politics

Is she? Hillary Clinton’s campaign has begun trolling for recount volunteers in Michigan and Wisconsin, and her allies are still bitterly claiming moral victories in public events. Hillary dropped in on Katy Perry at a high-profile UNICEF event this week, perhaps fittingly titled the “Snowflake Ball.” That doesn’t look like someone who wants to return to a low political profile.

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Terry McAuliffe thinks both Clintons are done with electoral politics now, and just want to get back to doing “good deeds.” That raises more questions, however:

McAuliffe said that he has spoken to the Clintons and that the loss has been hard on them.

“I mean, this is hard on anybody,” he said. “I mean, can you imagine having to go through this? I’ve had many conversations with the Clinton family. We’re friends. It’s hard, very tough. I think on Election Day everybody felt pretty good. I think the Trump campaign thought they were gonna lose. And you know, this is what happens in elections.”

Asked if the Clintons are done with politics now, he said: “I think so, sure. I don’t think Hillary has any interest in running again. I’ll let her speak for herself. I haven’t asked her that. I think the president’s probably going to go back, working on all the good deeds he’s done before in helping people around the globe. You know, there are elections. We’ve got to move forward. As governor of Virginia, I’ve got to move forward.”

McAuliffe is already moving forward, as the Washington Post notes. He’s already buttering up Donald Trump, sending off a congratulatory note to the man who vanquished his political patrons, and not just in the spirit of good sportsmanship. He wants Virginia to get the new FBI headquarters in the works when they’re ready to move out of the “dated and crumbling J. Edgar Hoover building” in DC. It’s between Virginia and Maryland, and McAuliffe gently reminds the Post’s Laura Vozzella that Maryland governor Larry Hogan disavowed Trump, so he thinks Trump might be more willing to work with, er, the person who worked for the Clintons for decades and ran the party he just defeated. And … he might be right.

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As for going back to “good deeds” and “helping people around the globe,” McAuliffe clearly means the Clinton Foundation. If the Clintons are through with electoral politics, however, why would people still contribute to their foundation? It’s been run as a slush fund for their political ambitions, with tens of millions going to travel and staffing as Hillary kept key personnel on payroll. Contributing to that scheme made sense for people who wanted an entrée to power eventually. Without the power, what’s the attraction? If you want to rub elbows with a Clinton, hire them for a speech. After this election, the rates will get a lot more reasonable.

McAuliffe’s “move forward” is likely to be the mantra for Democrats, at least as soon as they’ve stopped playing Pin the Blame on Everyone But the Donkey. The Clintons may or may not be done with electoral politics, but it’s almost certain that electoral politics is done with the Clintons.

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