McCain hits lack of bailout oversight

PHILADELPHIA — At a late-afternoon rally outside the Delaware County Courthouse in Pennsylvania, Republican presidential candidate John McCain expressed his reservations about the proposed Wall Street bailout plan and criticized Democrat Barack Obama for not coming up with a financial-rescue proposal of his own.

Speaking about the bailout plan being crafted by the Bush administration, McCain said it was not acceptable for the vast sums of money being discussed to be administered and spent solely by the secretary of the Treasury — without any further review.

"We won't solve a problem caused by poor oversight with a plan that calls for no oversight," he told the several thousand enthusiastic supporters who gathered on the streets of Media, many of them dressed in Republican red.

Obama, speaking in Green Bay, Wis., kept his focus on the economy as well, pledging as president to save the federal government $40 billion by reducing spending on outside contractors by 10 percent.

Clinton understands Palin's appeal

NEW YORK — Bill Clinton said Monday he understands why Sarah Palin is popular in the heartland: because people relate to her.

"I come from Arkansas; I get why she's hot out there," Clinton said.

Speaking to reporters before his Clinton Global Initiative meeting, the former president described Palin's appeal by adding: "People look at her, and they say, 'All those kids. Something that happens in everybody's family. I'm glad she loves her daughter and she's not ashamed of her. Glad that girl's going around with her boyfriend. Glad they're going to get married.' "

Union slams NRA over film crew

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Union leaders say a National Rifle Association film crew tried to coerce West Virginia miners into bad-mouthing presidential hopeful Barack Obama on camera, and that the union plans a brief work stoppage in protest.

The United Mine Workers will call for the stoppage at Consol's Blacksville No. 2 mine next week, union President Cecil Roberts said Monday.

Roberts said the union, which has endorsed Democrat Obama for president, is unhappy that Consol allowed the camera crew to ask miners leading questions about the candidate such as: "What do you think about losing your Second Amendment rights?"

The NRA has not endorsed a candidate. But it is sharply critical of Obama, calling him a "lying rabble rouser" on its Web site and claiming he has supported numerous anti-gun measures.

Seattle Times news services