President-elect Donald Trump seems to be burying the hatchet with many of his rivals and detractors from his long campaign.
He met with former Republican rival Ted Cruz shortly after the election. He’s meeting this weekend with 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, a very harsh critic of Trump during the GOP primary. Former primary contenders Ben Carson and Chris Christie served as advisers to Trump during the general election.
Could Trump find a way to include Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, whom he defeated in the general election, in his government?
One New York representative has a few ideas on how Clinton could be of service to the country.
Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat and a Clinton supporter whose district includes Trump’s Manhattan home, told WPIX that Trump should pick Clinton as ambassador to the United Nations. Maloney even suggested that Clinton could be the first female secretary-general of the U.N.
Maloney said Clinton could alternatively serve as head of the United Nations Children’s Defense Fund.
Samantha Power is the current U.S. ambassador the U.N. She began serving in Aug. 2013, replacing Susan Rice, who served from Jan. 2009 to July 2013.
While the thought of the two rivals serving together might sound nice to some interested in civility in our politics and healing a divided country, it seems unrealistic.
Clinton and Trump waged one of the nastiest campaigns in recent memory with Trump often calling her “Crooked Hillary,” for use of a private server during her time as secretary of state. Trump supporters often chanted “Lock her up, lock her up” at his rallies and at the Republican National Convention.
But the rivals were friendly before the election season. Clinton attended Trump’s wedding to Melania Trump, and Trump and former President Bill Clinton played golf together.
Clinton, who won the popular vote in the Nov. 8 election, has made just one public appearance since her concession speech, making a short speech at a Children’s Defense Fund event in Washington, D.C. She indicated she would continue to be involved in causes that are important to her, notably children’s issues.
“Service is the rent we pay for living,” Clinton said. “You don’t get to stop paying rent just because things didn’t go your way.”
Said Maloney: “She will never stop working. She will always make a difference and always be a part of the dialogue in a positive way to advance the values of America and to advance the causes she believes in.”