Cher had dinner the night before, in Las Vegas, with strategist Paul Begala and Bill Clinton himself. She did not reveal more than that, or to what extent the former president agrees with her. (I’d say chances are, 100 percent!)

So, I say, when the star takes a breath, "You’re going to vote for McCain? She replies, "What?!? Are you crazy? Never. McCain is going to lead us down the terrible path cleared by George W. Bush."

But, then, isn’t Obama, whatever his perceived flaws better for the country? Cher paused a long time. "Liz, the thought of McCain terrifies me. But I have searched my soul, and right now I don’t think I could vote for Obama without Hillary on the ticket. I hate to admit it, and I stand astonished at myself. Look, Barack says he is strong. Okay, prove it. Pick her. If he’s not up to dealing with Hillary, how can we believe he’s ready to deal with the world?"

And what of the "Bill factor?" What to do with the testy former president? "Oh, please, all that is media hype. He’s forgotten more than most people will ever know. He’s too smart to interfere. There’s plenty for him to do, and I don’t mean hanging around getting in Barack’s way. He won’t be what they say he’ll be. And again, I come back to this. Obama wants to be president. So he’ll be the president. Not Bill Clinton. Obama has to have that certainty. He should have it, or he should get out of the game."

Whoa! Cher’s voice was rapidly fading, but not her passion. This star is famous for her laid-back, no-sweat, slightly impassive quality. She left all that at the door in this conversation.

Before we hung up, sounding huskier by the second, she said: "This wasn’t smart. I have to sing tonight!" I asked if she thought sexism was involved in Hillary’s failure to win the nod. "You bet your ass. All the media gave it to her, right from the start. The MSNBC frat boys and Keith Olbermann were especially vicious." "But," I said, "Do you really think it was sexism or just Hillaryism?" Cher again took a long pause. "I think the hate on her, personally is very strong in the media. So, yes, it might have been a bit of ‘any woman but this woman.’ Still, as far as I’m concerned, there was plain old-fashioned fear of a woman in power playing itself out.

"If a woman is tough, she is way tougher than any man. And men can’t take it. I speak from experience."

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