Whether you love or hate Bill Clinton, you have to admit he is one of the best politicians this country has ever seen.

He may not be true to his ideals, but he sure can sell them — to anyone, anytime, anyplace.

He’s so smooth and charming that as the number of scandalous revelations about him increase, so do his popularity and approval ratings.

He isn’t known as “Slick Willie” and the “Teflon King” for no reason.

But lately Slick Willy has not been his usual self. His trademark impassioned and misty-eyed rhetoric has been replaced with silence and an un-Clintonlike stalling to answer allegations coming from the likes of the numerous Monicas, Kathleen Willeys and former Miss Americas.

In fact, after seeing the newly- released movie “Primary Colors,” I’d say John Travolta plays a better Clinton than Bill himself has lately.

“Primary Colors” is the new Mike Nichols film based on the best-selling novel written by Anonymous, who later turned out to be Newsweek columnist Joe Klein.

Klein’s fictional account of a certain southern governor’s presidential campaign caused quite a stir among the political world when it was published in 1996, as people ventured guesses as to who wrote it and whether it or not it was about Clinton.

Well, it certainly doesn’t take a Washington insider to realize the book and subsequent movie are more than loosely based on actual events.

The film “Primary Colors” has a host of brilliantly comical exaggerations of real life characters associated with the 1992 Clinton campaign. It takes you into the life of Jack Stanton, a big, doughnut-eating, Southern idealist who’s only downfall is his love of women.

Gee, I wonder who that could be?

Clinton … er … Stanton is played by John Travolta — but don’t go to the movie expecting to see Danny Zuko.

Travolta has Clinton down to his salt and pepper sprinkled hair and “Ah-feel-your-pain” voice. Travolta gained weight and studied Clinton’s body language for the role, and the result is worthy of an Oscar.

Other characters in the film include the stalwart, down-to-business and confidant wife of Jack Stanton, Susan, a.k.a Hillary Clinton.

Emma Thompson plays a very believable “Hillary” as a strong and intelligent feminist who is in love with the man her husband has the potential to become if it weren’t for his weaknesses.

As his severest critic and staunchest admirer, the scenes between Thompson and Travolta make you feel you have an inside look at the Clintons’ real life marriage.

A genius decision in casting is the only way to describe Billy Bob Thornton’s dead on portrayal of self-proclaimed redneck spin doctor Richard Jennings — unmistakably ragin’ cajun James Carville, Clinton’s 1992 campaign strategist.

Then there’s the manic “dust buster” played by Kathy Bates, whose job it is to cover up Stanton’s mishaps before opponents or the media find out about them, and the young idealist campaign manager played by Adrian Lester and suspected to be George Stephanopoulos.

There’s also Larry Hagman — old J.R. Ewing — who plays a character thought to be based on Ross Perot (in the movie he’s more kinky than kooky).

Another character, Cashmere McCleod, a.k.a Gennifer Flowers, brings the film another step closer to reality when she almost ruins Stanton’s political aspirations with allegations of an affair.

The film is entertaining because it’s fun to guess who the characters’ real life counterparts are and because the film is neither cynical nor an indictment against Clinton. Instead, it shows Clinton for what he really is — a good politician with personal flaws.

I saw “Primary Colors” last weekend and loved it. Go see it — you’ll definitely get your admission fee’s worth of laughs.

I think the film appeals to Clinton supporters and haters alike, and to both the left and the right, because the portrayal of the 1992 campaign is so Clintonesque that it reminds you of everything you love or hate about the man.

If you go to see “Primary Colors,” you won’t find the drama of a sinking ship or a young heartthrob with a very Italian sounding name, but you will find good acting and a well written script — as rare a Hollywood commodity these days as a politician without human faults.

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Jonquil Wegmann is a senior in community and regional planning from Bellevue.