Heartache Hill comes out of hiding

All I’ve wanted to do is just to curl up with a good book. — Hillary Clinton on Wednesday

All Hillary Clinton wanted to do in the days after her devastating loss to Donald Trump was get some private time alone, the former secretary of state said in her first speech since last week’s election stunner.

“I will admit coming here tonight wasn’t the easiest thing for me,” Clinton said Wednesday at a gala event in Washington, DC, for her former employer, the Children’s Defense Fund.

“There have been a few times this past week when all I’ve wanted to do is just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house again.”

A somber and, at times, emotional Clinton reflected on disad- vantaged children, who were honored at the event, as inspirations for her to move forward after losing the White House.

“I know many of you are deeply disappointed about the results of the election. I am, too, more than I can ever express,” Clinton said. “I urge you, please don’t lose heart. Don’t give up on the values we share. Look at the young people we are honoring tonight. If they can persevere, so must all of us.”

“I know this isn’t easy,” Clinton added. “I know that over the past week, a lot of people have asked themselves whether America is the country we thought it was. The divisions laid bare by this election run deep. But please listen to me when I say this: America is worth it. Our children are worth it. Believe in our country. Fight for our values and never, ever give up.”

Meanwhile, her former Demomocratic rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, spoke at George Washington University Wednesday and remained critical of her ties to Wall Street.

“You have make a decision . . . which side are you on,” Sanders asked. “Can you go out and raise substantial sums of money from the wealthy and Wall Street and other powerful special interests and then convince the American people that you are on the side of workers and the middle class?”