Serving the High Plains

Democrat smugness lost election

The 2016 presidential election showcased both major political parties with an unyielding narrative. This is the first of a two-part series that attempts to connect some political dots to arrive at how and why we are in our current state of affairs.

First, the Democrat story.

There was no way Hillary could lose to Trump in a head-to-head campaign.

When Bill Clinton established the Clinton Foundation and all its ancillary organizations as charities he did so with the intention of using these bodies to peddle political influence. The Clinton machine with its money, experience and power fully expected Hillary to be elected president in 2008 and the loss of the Democratic primary to a junior senator with little national recognition staggered them.

This caused them to execute Plan B.

The Clinton team realized that if they remained completely out of power, their influence and fund-raising ability would decline quickly over eight years of an Obama administration.

They worked diligently to convince Obama that he needed Hillary in his administration to repair any breech the primaries had caused. The position of secretary of state would do nicely.

From her new position of power, Hillary could influence policies and procedures favorable to any and all donors willing to add to the coffers of the Clinton Foundation.

A review of the book “Clinton Cash” by investigative reporter Peter Schweizer will detail how and why foreign governments helped make the Clintons rich. The size of the donations to Bill’s foundation increased exponentially when Hillary became secretary of state. These donations continued in both frequency and size when Hillary left her position at state.

The Democrat establishment once again anointed Hillary as its chosen candidate for president. Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb were bit players employed to support Hillary’s starring role. Bernie almost pulled another Obama on her.

Hillary needed the endorsement of the sitting president and the love-hate relationship between the Obamas and the Clintons was a problem that had to be overcome. In the end, not only did Obama endorse Clinton, he campaigned tirelessly for her, to the point of asking Sanders to end his campaign when it became clear he could not win the nomination.

There was no way Hillary could lose to Trump in a head-to-head campaign. There would be room in the Clinton Foundation for Barack and Michelle Obama. The Clinton Foundation, with two former presidents, and another Clinton in the White House, could reap donations in the billions rather than the millions.

Democrat insiders cannot forgive either Hillary or Trump for their loss of this bonanza.

Rube Render is the Curry County Republican chairman. Contact him at:

[email protected]