Oh geez, now it all comes together and makes sense. Clinton’s campaign has begun. Thanks for the info
Shoe, meet floor.
It would appear that Gates's signalling to Hillary may be another part of the move by the RiNOate to repudiate and, if possible, expel the GOP base ("Main Street Republicans") from the Party, the better to converge and merge with the apparently-victorious Reds.
Here, Gates is moving even farther and faster than most of the hashmarked powers-that-be, and openly making his transitional walk away from what used to be Republicanism, to play for the other side.
If there's to be a one-party government and a one-armed "People's Republic", then Gates would like to be part of it.
All for unselfish, public-spirited reasons, of course.