Jerry to Bill: “Watch where you put that hand, buster; Lady Bird is 87~!”

(President Clinton and former President Gerald Ford celebrating the 200th anniversary of the White House with Lady Bird Johnson, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Betty Ford on 9 November , 2000.)

Now that Gerald Ford is dead, the former president’s conversations with veteran reporter Thomas DeFrank are providing more than enough grist for several mills.

DeFrank, now Washington bureau chief for the New York Daily News, covered Ford for Newsweek, when Ford was vice president and president. Write It When I’m Gone: Remarkable Off-The-Record Conversations with Gerald R. Ford is based on talks Ford had starting in 1991 with DeFrank. And boy did Tom & Jerry talk.

According to DeFrank’s new book (released on Oct. 28), then-President Bill Clinton and his allies asked the former president to help him head off impeachment charges in 1998, at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Ford’s response?

“Bill I think you have to admit that you lied. If you do that, I think that will help - and I’ll help you. If you’ll admit to perjury, I’ll do more,” Ford told Clinton, according to DeFrank. “I won’t do that,” Clinton responded. “I can’t do that.” Ford was stunned by Clinton’s lack of contrition, DeFrank writes. “It’s a character flaw,” Ford concluded. “I’m convinced that Clinton has a sexual addiction. He needs to get help - for his sake. He’s already damaged his presidency beyond repair,” he told DeFrank, as reported by Tracy Connor in what is billed as a ‘Daily News exclusive.’ (though USA Today and other media outlets have also reported on the release of the book). “I’m convinced that Clinton has a sexual addiction. He needs to get help - for his sake. He’s already damaged his presidency beyond repair,” he told DeFrank.

Intriguingly, and most relevant to the 2008 presidential race, Ford predicted, “Hillary is gonna be on the ticket in ‘04 or ‘08, one or the other, you can write that down,” the former president told DeFrank in 2002. “She’s stronger and tougher than he is,” Ford told DeFrank. Needless to say, the Clintons have declined comment on the book or DeFrank’s confidential conversations with Jerry Ford.