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 said she made a mistake in claiming that she came under sniper fire on a trip 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.
"It proves I'm human," she said in Pennsylvania ahead of the key primary election vote there on 22 April.
Aides to Barack Obama, her rival to be the party's presidential nominee, argue she overstates her foreign experience.
Her aides earlier admitted she "misspoke" in claiming she and daughter Chelsea "ran with our heads down" when arriving in Bosnia in 1996.
Rivalry between the pair has sharpened ahead of 22 April's Pennsylvania vote.
Aides to key rival Barack Obama argue she overstates her foreign experience.
Meanwhile, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain addressed the nation's economic concerns at a campaign event in southern California on Tuesday.
'Revelation'
The Arizona senator is keen to counter arguments that he lacks experience in that field, as the US economic downturn continues.
In her speech last week, Mrs Clinton 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."
'Heads down'
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."
But a video clip played by CBS on Monday showed 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.
Mrs Clinton said in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday: "So I made a mistake. That happens. It proves I'm human, which you know, for some people, is a revelation."
The Obama campaign issued a statement which carried links to the clip on the YouTube video networking site.
Mrs Clinton had been criticised for insulting the US soldiers in charge of her security.
She said the "military and the Secret Service did a terrific job" and that the key issue was whether she would make a better commander in chief than Democratic nomination rival Mr Obama or the Republican candidate John McCain.
The Obama campaign issued a statement which carried links to the video clip on the YouTube networking site.
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".
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".
He would not have been my pastor Hillary Clinton
Mrs Clinton has tried to change the subject by revisiting 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.
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."
"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.
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
Focus on economy
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.
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.
Mr McCain said he would not play politics with the housing crisis
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 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.
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.
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."
"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".
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.
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.
