IN THE HEADLINES

Next commander in chief among those questioning top U.S. commander in Iraq ... Clinton criticizes Colombian trade deal in wake of aide's departure ... Rockefeller apologizes for comment about McCain and his actions during Vietnam War ... Poll shows Pa. race tightening in Obama's favor ... Clinton counters Obama spending edge with 5 targeted ads in Pennsylvania

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Petraeus faces next president

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The top military commander in Iraq faced the next commander in chief Tuesday, delivering a status report that could shape the campaign for the presidency.

All three candidates _ Sens. John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama _ sit on committees that received an assessment of the war's progress from Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker.

Their political division over the war _ McCain supports a continuation while the Democrats say they would withdraw troops _ spilled over into the congressional hearing room. Clinton began her appearance by chastising McCain _ without mentioning him by name _ for saying Democratic calls for a withdrawal are irresponsible and show a "lack of leadership."

"I fundamentally disagree," Clinton said. "Rather, I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again."

As the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, McCain was the first candidate to speak. He argued that "much more needs to be done" on security, political and economic fronts, but that "we are no longer staring into the abyss of defeat, and we can now look ahead to the genuine prospect of success."

In the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Obama told Petraeus that while he wants U.S. troops out of Iraq he would not initiate a precipitous withdrawal. And he said talking regularly to the Iranians is critical to getting to the point where it would be safe to end American involvement.

"I do not believe we are going to be able to stabilize the situation without them," Obama said.

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Clinton denounces Colombian trade deal

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton emphasized her opposition to a proposed free trade agreement with Colombia, two days after her chief campaign strategist was demoted for his role in supporting the deal.

"As I have said for months, I oppose the deal, I have spoken out against the deal, I will vote against the deal and I will do everything I can to urge the Congress to reject the Colombia free trade agreement," the New York Democrat told a gathering of the Communication Workers of America.

On Sunday, Mark Penn left his post as top strategist for Clinton's presidential campaign after it was reported that he had met with Colombia's ambassador to the United States to discuss passage of the agreement. Colombia was a client of Penn's large public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller.

Many labor unions, including the CWA, oppose such trade deals, saying they displace U.S. jobs and encourage abuses of workers and the environment in other countries.

Clinton's Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, also noted his opposition to the Colombia deal when he spoke to the CWA group moments after Clinton left the stage.

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Rockefeller apologizes for McCain remark

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller apologized for suggesting Republican Sen. John McCain doesn't care about people because he was a Navy fighter pilot who dropped bombs on Vietnam.

Rockefeller supports fellow Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president. He made the comments in an interview published Tuesday in The Charleston Gazette in his home state of West Virginia.

"McCain was a fighter pilot, who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit. What happened when they (the missiles) get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues," Rockefeller said.

He said he called McCain to apologize. "I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy, and I have extended my sincere apology to him," Rockefeller said in a statement.

McCain's campaign called on Obama to condemn Rockefeller's words. Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said Obama disagrees with Rockefeller.

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Poll: Obama closing gap in Pa.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Her margin shrinking, Hillary Rodham Clinton has a 6-point lead over Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race in Pennsylvania, a survey shows.

Clinton has 50 percent to Obama's 44 percent two weeks before Pennsylvania holds its primary, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. The same poll showed the former first lady ahead by 9 percentage points a week ago and 12 percentage points in mid-March.

Obama remains more popular among the state's black voters, 75 percent to 17 percent, and Clinton does better among whites, 56 percent to 38 percent. As in past surveys, Clinton leads among older voters and Obama leads among younger ones.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted by telephone from April 3-6. It involved interviews with 1,340 likely Democratic voters in Pennsylvania. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

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Clinton airs 5 new ads in Pa.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is targeting Pennsylvania media markets with five new television ads that deliver specific messages to different regional and ethnic audiences.

Her campaign began airing the ads Tuesday, three in the expensive Philadelphia market where polls show that rival Sen. Barack Obama has been gaining support.

The ads come as Obama has been outspending Clinton in Pennsylvania, with the state's April 22 primary only two weeks away. As of Sunday, Obama had spent $3.6 million in the state to Clinton's $1.3 million, according to data compiled by TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group.

As the ads went up, the Clinton campaign also issued a fundraising appeal to counter Obama's spending advantage in the state.

Obama updated his ad mix in the state as well, including a new spot that features some of the women in his life _ his half sister, his grandmother and his wife _ in a form of outreach to women voters who form a core of Clinton's support.

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THE NUMBERS

Barack Obama has an 8-point lead nationally over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic presidential race, 51 percent to her 43 percent, in the latest Gallup Poll. The survey had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The poll was conducted April 5-7 and involved interviews with 1,242 Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters. The survey was a tracking poll, in which Gallup interviews voters every night and uses the results from the three most recent evenings.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama addressed the Communications Workers of America at a conference in Washington.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain attended a Vets for Freedom rally in Washington.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"There's clearly a difference between the senior strategist and somebody who is playing a role in strategy. ... The difference would be the difference between the editor in chief of your newspaper and somebody who plays an important role at the newspaper but isn't in charge." _ Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking to reporters about Mark Penn, who was demoted from his role as the campaign's chief strategist.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

More than 8.3 million people are registered in Pennsylvania. That figure is expected to increase as state officials continue to process applications. The number of Democrats stands at 4.2 million _ an increase of 8 percent since last fall's election. The Republican total is 3.2 million _ a decline of about 2 percent.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.

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