Like the rest of us who have endured professional setbacks, the life of a losing presidential candidate has to go on somehow. John McCain and John Kerry simply went back to the Senate, while Mitt Romney returned to the business world and Al Gore grew rich on climate change alarmism. Now that the inauguration is over, and with a 24/7 media ever in search of news, it’s time for the speculation to begin on Hillary Clinton’s next move.

To that end, a lengthy piece in Politico laid the groundwork for portraying Hillary as a willing helper for the Democrat Party going forward, doing things like fundraising and perhaps appearing for candidates in need of a boost (you know, because she knows how to win). In its fawning article, Politico didn’t go into some of the health concerns or criminal suspicion hanging over Hillary’s head as the campaign drew to a close last November. Instead, it portrayed Hillary and Bill, who’s busy analyzing the election results and determining where she underperformed, as eminent elders who now realize it’s time to pass the torch.

But pardon us if we’re a bit skeptical. Clintons will be Clintons, and they’re no doubt mulling what longtime friend and former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell said recently: “I’m certain Trump will screw up enough that by the fall of ‘18, Hillary’s numbers will be way up again.”

So Hillary isn’t ready to ride off into the sunset to enjoy her grandchildren just yet. The question then becomes what she’ll do. Some are speculating the abortive pre-election idea of TrumpTV may be a model for a television talk show hosted by Hillary — one in which she would control the narrative with her warm personality. Such a show “would energize the Democratic Party base and her tens of millions of fans,” said one unnamed insider, and position her for a 2020 rematch.

Others are claiming a “50-50 chance” that Hillary will try to carpetbag another New York political position, that of New York City mayor. Note, though, that it’s not just Democrats “begging her” to make a bid later this year: “I’m not sure she would have an opponent,” said Bradley Tusk, the campaign manager for former mayor Michael Bloomberg, who initially ran as a Republican. Current mayor Bill De Blasio “would have to drop out if she ran.”

Supporters cite the 79% of the vote Hillary received in the five boroughs of New York City, but the scary part is that she actually could be an improvement over the current regime. “De Blasio is a repeat offender when it comes to stupidity,” said one Clinton backer — the Rev. Johnny Green, of Harlem’s Mount Neboh Baptist Church. Fellow pastor Patrick Young, who heads the First Baptist Church in the East Elmhurst section of Queens, agreed, calling Hillary “a breath of fresh air.” (Let that sink in for a moment.)

“We have a cloud over our leadership right now,” added Young. De Blasio must really be awful if people are pining for Hillary Clinton to save them.

Then there are the skeptics who think that Hillary and Bill are through seeking office. “The Democratic Party does need new blood, new faces, and I don’t think Bill or Hillary Clinton would ever want to get back and run for anything,” said former Sen. Mark Pryor, a fellow Arkansas politician. “I don’t think a team of mules could drag them to do that.” Unless, of course, someone hitched that team of mules to a wagonload of greenbacks. The only question, then, is which political office could be most easily exploited for the Clintons’ enrichment.