Imagine being in Hillary Clinton’s position. I know, it sounds a bit intense, but humor me for a moment. Reflecting on the drama of Russiagate over the last decade, one can’t help but think of her as a key player in what some call a major political scandal. Picture her witnessing events unfold in 2017—searching for any evidence of a Russian conspiracy involving Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, perhaps feeling a mix of hope and despair.
What went through her mind as the nation pursued a special prosecutor and spent millions of taxpayer dollars exploring leads that seemed pulled from thin air? Has she ever felt remorse, or a moment of wanting to apologize for what was, in essence, a tangled web of deception?
It seems not. Clinton authored a book titled “What Happened,” where she lashes out at Putin and even critiques figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and former CIA director James Comey, all while lamenting her unexpected defeat to Trump—a political outsider she once ridiculed. To this day, she maintains that the Russian president aimed to undermine her candidacy, suggesting that, had it not been for his interference, she would have undoubtedly made history as the first female president.
It’s crucial to consider that many Americans viewed Hillary as a flawed candidate, lacking trust and popularity. CNN’s polling from the 2016 Democratic Convention indicates that a substantial 68% of respondents considered her dishonest, echoing a troubling sentiment about her credibility.
As the details of Russiagate emerge, it becomes increasingly clear why public trust in Clinton waned. People generally concluded that her 31% approval rating in July 2016 didn’t exactly position her as a favorite heading into November. Barack Obama had completed two terms, but the political landscape shifted, with fewer people identifying as Democrats—31% heading into 2016 compared to 36% during Obama’s initial election in 2008.
Clinton expressed confidence, yet perhaps she understood that she had to resort to underhanded tactics to take down Trump. It seems her former campaign manager, Robbie Mook, testified that she specifically approved a strategy in 2016 to leak information to a reporter about an alleged connection between the Trump organization and a Russian bank—an assertion that turned out to hold little truth but was widely circulated by her supporters and the media, casting doubt in public perception.
Following the publication of this story just weeks before the election, Clinton tweeted excitement about “computer scientists” discovering a secret server linking Trump to a Russian bank. However, the FBI later found no evidence supporting this claim. Curiously, one of the figures involved in furthering this narrative was Jake Sullivan, who eventually became President Biden’s national security adviser.
A much larger and more damaging narrative came from the scandalous claims within the Steele dossier, financed by Clinton’s campaign, leading to extended investigations into alleged Russian interference and the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The Federal Election Commission eventually penalized Clinton’s campaign and the DNC for misrepresenting funding details from opposing research.
Now, new developments are resurfacing accusations that Clinton, alongside Barack Obama, James Comey, John Brennan, and others, manipulated intelligence to fabricate a narrative about Trump’s ties to Russia.
The New York Times strangely seems to protect Clinton in this matter, implying these disclosures are merely a distraction motivated by the Trump team, which complicates matters further.
Will we ever grasp the full extent of this alleged plot against Trump? Maybe not. It’s likely that key players like Clinton will evade accountability.
As we observe fresh revelations coming from the Trump White House, one wonders how Clinton feels about her legacy now. Perhaps she recognizes the betrayal and deception inherent in her actions—an awareness that could haunt her and evoke bitterness.
People increasingly view her as a corrupt manipulator. There’s a sense among many that she relied on dishonesty and schemes rather than genuine merit to advance her political career, ultimately harming the country.
What remains is a lasting impression of her aggression towards Trump and the 61 million Americans who cast their votes for him in 2016.
