Where was Bill Clinton? Even as campaign posters say "Hillary for president," the former U.S. president is nowhere to be found.

It's clear that having Bill as a spouse will be a mixed blessing for Hillary, the presidential candidate.

Bill brings distinct assets: He's still tremendously popular as recent polls show his approval rating at 61 percent. That's bound to rub off, observers believe.

The former president is a formidable fundraiser. He'll bring in money for his wife by the bucket load. And he's one of the best political brains going. She gets free top-drawer advice.

"He is a brilliant intellect, a synthetic thinker. He's a brilliant tactician. He's a prodigious fundraiser. He's a fantastic communicator," said Mark Mellman, a Democratic strategist. Continued...