Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has been challenged over claims that she came under sniper fire during a trip she made to Bosnia in the 1990s.
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has been challenged over claims that she came under sniper fire during a trip she made to Bosnia in the 1990s.
Video shown on US TV network CBS shows the then First Lady walking calmly from her plane. Her campaign has said she "misspoke" about landing under fire.
Video shown on US TV network CBS shows the then First Lady walking calmly from her plane. Her campaign has said she "misspoke" about landing under fire.
Aides to Barack Obama, her rival to be the party's presidential nominee, argue she overstates her foreign experience.
Aides to Barack Obama, her rival to be the party's presidential nominee, argue she overstates her foreign experience.
Rivalry between the pair has increased ahead of 22 April's Pennsylvania vote.
Rivalry between the pair has sharpened ahead of 22 April's Pennsylvania vote.
Meanwhile, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain addressed the nation's economic concerns at a campaign event in California on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain addressed the nation's economic concerns at a campaign event in southern California on Tuesday.
The Arizona senator is keen to counter arguments that he lacks experience in that field, as the US economic downturn continues.
The Arizona senator is keen to counter arguments that he lacks experience in that field, as the US economic downturn continues.
'Heads down'
'Heads down'
The row over Mrs Clinton's 1996 Bosnia visit follow a speech she made on Iraq last week, in which she described herself and her daughter Chelsea being at some risk as they arrived.
The row over Mrs Clinton's 1996 Bosnia visit follows a speech she made on Iraq last week, in which she described herself and her daughter Chelsea being at some risk as they arrived.
Mr Obama's campaign accuses Mrs Clinton of inflating her role
Mr Obama's campaign accuses Mrs Clinton of inflating her role
She said: "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."
She said: "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."
The video clip played by CBS on Monday shows Mrs Clinton and Chelsea walking across the tarmac smiling and waving before stopping to shake hands with Bosnia's acting president and meet an eight-year-old girl.
The video clip played by CBS on Monday shows Mrs Clinton and Chelsea walking across the tarmac smiling and waving before stopping to shake hands with Bosnia's acting president and meet an eight-year-old girl.
The Obama campaign issued a statement which carried links to the clip on the YouTube video networking site.
The Obama campaign issued a statement which carried links to the clip on the YouTube video networking site.
Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement that the story "joins a growing list of instances in which Senator Clinton has exaggerated her role in foreign and domestic policy-making".
A spokesman for the Illinois senator, Tommy Vietor, said in a statement that the story "joins a growing list of instances in which Senator Clinton has exaggerated her role in foreign and domestic policy-making".
Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson said Mrs Clinton "misspoke" on one occasion about the incident.
He would not have been my pastor Hillary Clinton
In her book, she described how the airstrip greeting had been cut short because of sniper fire on a nearby hillside - and that was the account she had given many times, he said.
Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson said she "misspoke" on one occasion about the incident.
Mrs Clinton, who has repeatedly mentioned the trip to Bosnia as part of her foreign policy experience while on the campaign trail, characterised the row as a "minor blip".
She in turn revisited last week's controversy over fiery sermons given by Mr Obama's former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, telling a Pennsylvania-based newspaper that she would have left Mr Wright's church.
"He would not have been my pastor," the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review quoted her as saying. "You don't choose your family, but you choose what church you want to attend."
Mr Obama gave a major speech on race relations last week in response to the furore over Mr Wright's remarks but, while condemning what he said, refused to "disown" him.
Options open
Options open
Mrs Clinton is continuing to campaign in Pennsylvania this week, while Mr Obama has taken a brief holiday from the campaign trail.
Mrs Clinton is continuing to campaign in Pennsylvania this week, while Mr Obama has taken a brief holiday. He is to embark on a six-day bus tour across the state on Friday, his aides said.
He is to embark on a six-day bus tour across the state on Friday, his aides said.
Mr McCain said he would not play politics with the housing crisis
Mr Obama is ahead of Mrs Clinton in terms of the number of delegates won in primary elections so far.
Mr Obama is ahead of Mrs Clinton in terms of the number of delegates won in primary elections so far.
The delegates will choose in August which candidate is to be the party's nominee in November's presidential election, standing against Mr McCain.
The delegates will choose in August which candidate is to be the party's nominee in November's presidential election, standing against Mr McCain.
Mr McCain, speaking in Orange County in southern California on Tuesday, said he would leave all options open for dealing with current US economic troubles and would "not allow dogma to override common sense".
Mr McCain, speaking in Orange County, urged banks to pass on some of the aid they had received from the federal government to people struggling to pay their mortgages.
"They've been asking the government to help them out," he said. "I'm now calling upon them to help their customers, and their nation, out."
He said he would leave all options open for dealing with current US economic troubles and would "not allow dogma to override common sense".
"I will not play election-year politics with the housing crisis," he said.
"I will not play election-year politics with the housing crisis," he said.
"I will evaluate everything in terms of whether it might be harmful or helpful to our effort to deal with the crisis we face now."
Send us your reaction to this story. Are you in Pennsylvania? Will you be voting in the state's primary on 22 April? Send us your views and predictions using the form below.
Send us your reaction to this story. Are you in Pennsylvania? Will you be voting in the state's primary on 22 April? Send us your views and predictions using the form below.
