'Bubba' and Babs

This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," March 29, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.

Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET and listen to the "Radio Factor!"

BILL O'REILLY, HOST: "Back of the Book" segment time: A new book that looks at the singer-political activist Barbra Streisand.

A provocative passage from the book concerning the Clintons reads, "While Hillary was keeping a vigil at her dying father's bedside, deciding whether he should be removed from life support, she was unaware that Streisand was spending time with the president in the White House."

With us now the author of that passage and the book, "Barbra: The Way She Is", Christopher Andersen.

Are you implying something here, other than you stated in that passage?

CHRISTOPHER ANDERSEN, AUTHOR, "BARBRA IS THE WAY SHE IS": Well, the relationship between Bill and Barbra has always been really a mystery. And it's interesting, a point of speculation for a long time.

Indeed, she did spend a night in March of 1993 when Hillary was at her father's bedside, dying father in Little Rock. Hillary came back, was surprised to find Barbra had spent the night and really didn't like the appearance. Because don't forget: this was on the heels of Gennifer Flowers, right after — during the trooper-gate scandal, way before Monica Lewinsky. So from that point on, Barbra...

O'REILLY: But lots of people spend time in the White House in the Lincoln bedroom, especially large fundraisers like Barbra Streisand. She's a huge Democratic fundraiser. So why would that...

ANDERSEN: She's very close to Bill Clinton and has been. And there are many...

O'REILLY: But you have to define that for me. And I don't want salacious details here.

ANDERSEN: Right.

O'REILLY: But when you say she's very close to Bill Clinton, what does that mean?

ANDERSEN: She's a great friend, a huge supporter. And we're not in the bedroom, so we don't know exactly what goes on, but we know that Hillary was irritated by the fact that Barbra was there.

O'REILLY: How do we know that Hillary was irritated by it?

ANDERSEN: I've written two books on the Clintons, Bill and Hillary and with Eric Davita (ph). And have many sources close to the Clintons. And both Hillary and Bill from the Arkansas days. And Bill — Hillary has been very outspoken in her — she needs Barbra's money.

O'REILLY: OK, but she's not — the senator is not on the record anywhere as saying she was annoyed by Streisand's appearance while she was away with her father, correct?

ANDERSEN: Not on the record.

O'REILLY: All right. She's not on the record. So you're relying on people who told you this?

ANDERSEN: Absolutely.

O'REILLY: But you don't name those people.

ANDERSEN: Some of them I do. The people that are close to them I haven't, no.

O'REILLY: Right. In this regard — see, what I'm worried about here, Mr. Andersen — and you have a long record of journalism, worked for Time magazine and this and that — I'm worried that anybody can tell you anything to get even with anybody. You see what I mean?

ANDERSEN: These are close friends, though, of Hillary. As a matter of fact, the speculation about the relationship between Bill and Barbra is nothing that I invented. It was certainly a major story.

O'REILLY: But rumors about President Clinton are rife all over the place. I mean, the guy would be in a jar if we believe all the rumors about them. And I don't know how fair it is to imply that he had an affair with this woman, Barbra Streisand. I don't know if that's fair.

ANDERSEN: Well, I think it's fair, certainly, to recount the incidents where they were together. The Secret Service agents told Mike McGrath, the chief White House steward, that they got together in a hotel in California. And played (ph) in a hotel suite. They were very playful.

O'REILLY: They met each other there?

ANDERSEN: They — Clinton chased her around the piano. You know, she sang, "Happy birthday, Mr. President" like Marilyn Monroe over the phone when he turned 49.

O'REILLY: Oh, I don't think there's any question that Barbra Streisand — in your book you say that she is the top Democratic fundraiser in the country.

ANDERSEN: Absolutely. She wants the Clinton back in the White House. And that's why she's hitting the road again in November. She's going to be touring. They're going to six cities, 20 concerts.

And the reason for that this time is not to raise money for herself. Last time she came out of — went back into...

O'REILLY: Yes. She wanted money for her lifestyle.

ANDERSEN: She needed money. She needed cash.

O'REILLY: right.

ANDERSEN: This time she needs money for her foundation. And basically that's to support the Barbra Streisand Foundation, which has a number of charitable interests but it's also — supports a number of liberal groups. And so it's to build a war chest for 2008.

O'REILLY: All right. If you look at her Web site, she is kind of crazy.

ANDERSEN: Absolutely. In some ways.

O'REILLY: All right.

ANDERSEN: When it comes to — when you're saying George W. Bush, absolutely. She wants...

O'REILLY: Well, no, just her political — I mean, we just talked to Gerardo Sandoval. She's with him. She's out there on that far left perch.

ANDERSEN: Bella Abzug was her mentor. You know, you have to look at it that way.

O'REILLY: OK. Do you believe that she can forge a detente with the Clintons so she can help Hillary Clinton run for president?

ANDERSEN: Well, Hillary — Hillary Clinton has never refused Barbra's support publicly. You know, they've put a good face on the situation. She doesn't like her personally. I mean...

O'REILLY: And you're convinced of that?

ANDERSEN: Absolutely. Convinced of what? That she doesn't like Hillary...

O'REILLY: That Hillary doesn't like her personally.

ANDERSEN: Absolutely. When Virginia Kelly passed away, very close friend of Barbra's, the president's mother, Virginia — Hillary Clinton wouldn't let her ride in the family limousine at the funeral. That sort of thing. She really is not fond of her personally.

O'REILLY: All right. But she will take the cash.

ANDERSEN: She'll take the cash.

O'REILLY: The senator will take the cash.

ANDERSON: It's liable to be $150 million, by the way, that the foundation, that Barbra can raise with these concerts.

O'REILLY: Can't go all to Hillary, but it can go to places that help Hillary.

ANDERSEN: Exactly.

O'REILLY: All right, very interesting book, Mr. Andersen. Thanks for coming in. We appreciate it.

ANDERSEN: Thank you.

Copy: Content and Programming Copyright 2006 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2006 Voxant, Inc. (www.voxant.com ), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon Fox News Network, LLC'S and Voxant, Inc.'s copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.