Terry McAuliffe: Clintons are probably done with politics - Politico

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe suggested that the campaign defeat was “hard, very tough” for the Clintons. | AP Photo

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Democratic fundraiser and close friend to the Clintons, said Wednesday that he thinks Bill and Hillary are now done with politics.

“I think so, sure,” McAuliffe said when asked on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” program, The Washington Post reported. “I don’t think Hillary has any interest in running again. I’ll let her speak for herself. I haven’t asked her that.”

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He added: “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.”

Hillary Clinton’s loss in the presidential election last month shocked Democrats who were gearing up to staff her administration. She has made a couple public appearances since the election, but has mostly stayed silent as other Democratic leaders debate the future of the party, which lost not only the White House, but remains in the minority in both chambers of Congress.

McAuliffe suggested that the defeat was “hard, very tough” for the Clintons.

“I mean, this is hard on anybody. I mean, can you imagine having to go through this?” he asked. “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.”

McAuliffe, who chaired Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, also signaled a willingness to work with President-elect Donald Trump, despite his support for his general election opponent.

“I have known Donald Trump for 20 years, had dinner with him, golfed with him,” McAuliffe said, noting that Trump “actually wrote me a $25,000 check” when he ran for governor in 2009. “I look forward to a productive relationship.”