IN THE HEADLINES

Clinton calls for legal protections for honest mortgage lenders ... Clinton campaign says she 'misspoke' in account of Bosnia trip ... US Virgin Islands official says Obama is on the islands for a few days of 'down time' ... Clinton once eager to debate has not committed to April 19 debate in N.C.

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Clinton: Protect reputable home lenders

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed several remedies to the nation's home mortgage problems Monday, including one tool more often associated with Republicans than Democrats.

The New York senator proposed greater protections for lenders from possible lawsuits by investors, a variation of so-called tort reform. For years, GOP leaders have called for restrictions on what they consider unwarranted lawsuits against businesses. Democrats have often resisted them on grounds they limit injured parties' legitimate rights to redress.

"Many mortgage companies are reluctant to help families restructure their mortgages because they're afraid of being sued by the investment banks, the private equity firms and others who actually own the mortgage papers," Clinton said in what she billed as a major address on the economy at the University of Pennsylvania.

"This is the case even though writing down the value of a mortgage is often more profitable than foreclosing," she said. Clinton said she would offer legislation "to provide mortgage companies with protection against the threat of such lawsuits," but provided no further details.

Brian Deese, a Clinton economic adviser, said different categories of investors can have different interests in how a mortgage is handled. Clinton's legislation would clarify that a mortgage provider's obligations are to "investors as a whole," he said in an interview.

Clinton also called on President Bush to appoint "an emergency working group on foreclosures" to recommend new ways to confront housing finance troubles.

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Clinton 'misspoke' on Bosnia trip

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign said she "misspoke" last week when she said she had landed under sniper fire during a trip she took as first lady to Bosnia in March 1996.

The Obama campaign suggested it was a deliberate exaggeration on Clinton's part.

Clinton often cites the goodwill trip she took with her daughter and several celebrities as a part of her foreign policy experience.

During a speech last Monday about Iraq, she said of the trip: "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."

According to an AP story at the time, Clinton was placed under no extraordinary risks on that trip. And one of her companions on it, comedian Sinbad, told The Washington Post he has no recollection either of the threat or reality of gunfire.

When asked Monday about the New York senator's recent remarks on the trip, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson pointed to Clinton's previous written account in her book, "Living History," in which she described a shortened welcoming ceremony at Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Clinton wrote: "Due to reports of snipers in the hills around the airstrip, we were forced to cut short an event on the tarmac with local children, though we did have time to meet them and their teachers and to learn how hard they had worked during the war to continue classes in any safe spot they could find."

"That is what she wrote in her book," Wolfson said. "That is what she has said many, many times and on one occasion she misspoke."

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Obama in US Virgin Islands

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) _ Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is spending some down time in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Obama was keeping such a low profile that his presidential campaign would not say where he is staying, and local officials were also mum. An official at Government House in the capital, Charlotte Amalie, would only confirm that Obama was in St. Thomas, the most populated island. Tourists said they spotted him on the beach Sunday.

The Illinois senator is popular in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which in February gave him three delegates in the race for the Democratic nomination. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton did not win a delegate at the caucuses. Six superdelegates will go to the August national convention; four have backed Clinton and two have endorsed Obama.

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Clinton undecided on April 19 debate

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, once so eager to debate she ran two ads questioning why her rival wouldn't, has yet to say whether she'll debate Sen. Barack Obama in North Carolina next month.

Both presidential candidates plan to participate in an ABC News debate on April 16 in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania holds it primary days later, on April 22. Obama also has agreed to a debate April 19 hosted by CBS in North Carolina. North Carolina holds its primary May 6.

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said Monday that the campaign has not made a decision about the CBS debate and is still working through the details.

"I am quite confident that there will be additional debates and that we will work with networks and the Obama campaign to figure out the appropriate location and venue and media outlet," Wolfson told reporters on a conference call.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Hillary Rodham Clinton gives a speech on the economy and makes several campaign stops in Pennsylvania. Barack Obama has no scheduled campaign events.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain campaigns in California.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"As the headlines of the past months have made clear, we are experiencing a crisis of confidence in our country. We have a crisis of confidence in our leadership with respect to Iraq and we have a crisis of confidence in our economy." _ Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a speech in Philadelphia.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Only Democrats can vote in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary April 22. The campaigns have until March 24 to persuade the state's roughly 981,000 registered voters who are not members of either major party.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.