26 NEWSWEEK.COM JUNE 07, 2019
POLITICS
later. Republican critics often charged that the foundation was a a prospective president. But those political charges have become as irrelevant as the Clintons are, even if the plunging donations 6KDGHVRI,UUHOHYDQFHof the two, hillary retains the higher public profile. pay-to-play scheme while Hillary was secretary of state and then suggest that many former donors may indeed have been seeking influence.
engagements. Friends of hers She’s still doing select TV interviews and somsay there was a time following the e solo speaking
that several of the current Democratic contenders have sought election to Trump should just go away. Friends, including former her out of despair. Brazile says she urged Hillary “to pick her spots, Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile, helped coax the public—timent among Democratic stalwarts that the woman who lost an 2016 election when she didn’t know how much to re-engage with speak up and speak out.”She has done so and, in contrast to Bill, has been gratified if at all. There was—and remains—considerable sen-
female candidates—President Joe Biden, among others. Jennifer Palmieri, who served tinues. “She has a lot to contribute and a lot to say, both in private Hillary to be “a very visible” presence as the 2020 campaign con-Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand—as Hillary’s communications director in 2016, says she expects her advice on the 2020 campaign. That includes all of the major [to other candidates] and in public.”Friends of both Clintons say Hillary has been “warmed” by the Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Was well as former Vice arren,
amount of sympathy she gets from voters she encounters. “The enthusiastically, and she has already been reminded of that. She’s political pros may still be angry that she lost and think she should stay out of the limelight,” says Joe Lockhart, who was Bill’s press secretary when he was president, “but a lot of people voted for her still a significant voice in American politics.”who didn’t want to be quoted on the record, says Hillary’s fees 2016 university speaking engagements (for which she was paid have comsolo domestic gigs, though he can command $200,000 or more have been as low as $25,000 or $50,000 per event.for foreign engagements. He just doesn’t do them very often be-up to $300,000) sparked a fierce backlash. Since then, her fees Bill, because of the current political climate, doesn’t do many No longer. The head of one prominent public speakers’ agency, e down sharply—particularly after a couple of post-
cause physically, an associate says, “he’s not up to it.” From 2001 to 2015, just before Hillary declared as a candidate, the Clintons made more than $150 million in speaking fees. “Those days are gone,” says the associate.after his presidency—no prospect of the Clintons returning to power. Federal tax filings show donations of $62.9 million in 2016 fell to $26.5 million a year The Clinton Foundation—has also fallen out of favor now that there is the philanthropic unit Bill set up
o1993. Opposite: 6 BiIN THE PUBLIC EYE^2 n in 1Bill attends a Clinton Global Initiative meetinYdeDOn in 22IɿFH 9930 LQ 146 H illary campai 5 ^1 Hillary speaks at Bill, Hillary and Chelsea in 1997 ^3 Below: Hillary talks about health care inBill signs NAFTA as gns in Scranton, Pennsylvania, withGeorgetown University in 2014 former presidents look g in 2016.^2 Bill in the^Just 80,000 votes in three traditionally Democratic states deprived them of the restoration.