Bill Clinton likes John Kerry.

Political insiders say the former president is telling pals he thinks three Democrats have the right stuff to get their party's presidential nomination in 2004: Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. Of these three, insiders say Clinton believes only Kerry, a Vietnam War hero who almost ran for the presidency in 2000, has the " heft " to go all the way.

It's equally interesting to note which political figures didn't make Clinton's list, such as Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, former vice-president Al Gore, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Lieberman dissed Clinton prior to the presidential impeachment in 1999. Gore annoyed Clinton by not mentioning him enough during the 2000 presidential campaign. And Senator Clinton ... hmmm. We'll need some time to figure that one out.

Issue Date: April 5 - 12, 2001