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ON THE TRAIL

October 9, 2008

The son of a Democratic Tennessee state lawmaker pleaded not guilty yesterday to hacking the e-mail account of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. David Kernell, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn., entered the plea in federal court in Knoxville, the same day prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with intentionally accessing Palin's e-mail account without authorization. Kernell, an economics student at the University of Tennessee, was brought into court wearing handcuffs and shackles on his ankles. He was released without posting bond, but the court limited his computer use to checking his own e-mail and doing class work. Kernell's father is Rep. Mike Kernell of Memphis.

Yet another band is complaining about John McCain's use of their song to promote his campaign. This time, it's the Foo Fighters. The rockers sent out a missive telling the Republican presidential candidate to stop using "My Hero." They said they learned through news reports. "To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song," the band said in a statement.

The National Rifle Association is turning to Hillary Rodham Clinton to bolster its criticism of Barack Obama's positions on gun issues. The NRA's Political Victory Fund planned a national newspaper ad today reviving a Clinton mailing that accused Obama of waffling on gun issues. Clinton's campaign sent the mailing when the New York senator was challenging Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. It accuses Obama of changing his statements on gun issues to fit the audience he was addressing. "Hillary was right: You can't trust Obama with your guns," says the NRA committee's ad, scheduled to run in USA Today. The PAC has spent at least $2.3 million on anti-Obama efforts in the 2008 presidential race, including more than $100,000 on the new USA Today ad. Spokesmen for Clinton and Obama did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.