NEW YORK (AP) – Organizers at Bill Clinton’s final, glittery gathering of his family’s philanthropic organization seem determined to keep his wife’s presidential prospects off the agenda.
Hillary Clinton’s image was notably absent from the gauzy video that kicked off the last-ever meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. Contributors at Monday’s opening session thanked President Clinton and daughter Chelsea for their work, but skipped over the Democratic nominee.
Finally, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi broke the ice.
Noting that he’ll be hosting one of the first international summits after the U.S. election, Renzi turned to President Clinton and said with a smile, “My wife waits for you as first gentleman at the G-7.”
That easy mingling of philanthropy and politics has put the Clintons’ charity work under an election year microscope. Republican Donald Trump contends the Clinton Foundation is little more than a way for his opponent to enrich her family and give donors special political access. Even some Clinton supporters have questioned the necessity of keeping the foundation afloat given that she is already saddled with questions about transparency.