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ON THE TRAIL

May 15, 2008

Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday backed away from her comments about support among "white Americans," saying she agreed with a top New York Democrat who criticized her remarks. Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel said Saturday that Clinton's comments were "the dumbest thing" she could have said. "Well, he's probably right," Clinton said on CNN last night. "Obviously I have worked very hard to get the votes of everyone ... And I know Senator [Barack] Obama has worked hard to reach out to every community and constituency." Clinton said she was referring to an Associated Press story about the primaries when she made the comments a week ago to USA Today, saying she was winning the support of "hardworking Americans, white Americans."

Cindy McCain, whose husband has been a critic of the violence in Sudan, sold off more than $2 million in mutual funds whose holdings include companies that do business in the African nation. The sale yesterday came after The Associated Press questioned the investments in light of calls by John McCain for sanctions against Sudan. According to McCain's personal financial disclosure, his wife's investments include two mutual funds that the Sudan Divestment Task Force lists as targets for divestment. Both funds have holdings in Oil & Natural Gas Corp., an India-based company that does business in Sudan.

The publisher of the children's book series "Curious George" is considering legal action against a Georgia bar owner for selling T-shirts that link presidential candidate Barack Obama to the inquisitive monkey. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is upset with Mike Norman, owner of a Marietta, Ga., bar, for selling shirts depicting Curious George peeling a banana with "Obama in '08" printed beneath the image.