IN THE HEADLINES

Obama reports income of $4.2 million in 2007 tax returns, paid $1.4 million in taxes ... Poll: Clinton's lead in Pennsylvania narrows ... Obama criticizes Carter on Hamas meeting, tries to reassure Jewish leaders ... Promoting his economic agenda, McCain says he needs the dialogue on the issue ... Clinton endorsed by 45,000-member plasterers and cement masons union ... Clinton supporter says McCain is too old for the rigors of the presidency

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Obama reports income of $4.2 million in 2007 tax returns

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, made $4.2 million last year as widespread interest in the presidential candidate pushed sales of his two books.

In tax returns the campaign released Wednesday, the Obamas reported a significant jump in their income from the previous year as profits from "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" accounted for some $4 million. The Obamas paid federal taxes of $1.4 million and donated $240,370 to charity.

Their salaried income was $260,735, which included his $157,102 salary as a U.S. senator and hers of $103,633 as vice president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

By comparison, Clinton and her husband, the former president, reported $20.4 million in income for 2007. Almost half the former first couple's money came from Bill Clinton's speeches.

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Poll: Clinton's lead in Pa. narrows

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's lead in Pennsylvania has narrowed less than a week before the state holds its Democratic presidential primary, a new poll suggests.

Clinton has 46 percent compared with Sen. Barack Obama's 40 percent, according to the Franklin & Marshall College Poll. Her six-point lead is just outside the poll's margin of sampling error, which is plus or minus 5.1 percent.

Clinton holds a narrower lead than she held in March when same poll showed her ahead by 16 points, 51 percent to 35 percent. She continues to lead Obama among women, older voters and union households. Clinton also holds a 20-point edge among Catholics, 58 percent to 38 percent. As in previous primaries, Obama does well with young voters and nonwhites. The two candidates split the male vote at 41 percent each.

The poll was conducted by telephone from April 8-13. It involved interviews with 367 likely Democratic voters in Pennsylvania.

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Obama reassures Jewish leaders on Hamas, Wright

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday criticized former President Carter for meeting with leaders of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas as he tried to reassure Jewish voters that his candidacy isn't a threat to them or U.S. support for Israel.

The Democratic presidential candidate's comments to a group of Jewish leaders were his first on Carter's controversial meeting scheduled this week in Egypt.

Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting John McCain earlier this week called on Obama to repudiate Carter visit.

Obama told the group he had a "fundamental disagreement" with Carter, who was rebuffed by Israeli leaders during a peace mission to the Middle East this week.

The Illinois senator has been working to reassure Jewish voters nervous about his candidacy following publicity about anti-Israel sentiments expressed by his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and criticism from rival Hillary Rodham Clinton during a February debate that he hadn't immediately rejected an endorsement from black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan. Obama responded that he already denounced Farrakhan, but would reject his support as well.

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McCain promotes his economic plan in Wis.

SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) _ John McCain promoted his economic agenda Wednesday, holding back-to-back panel discussions with business leaders a day after rolling out a series of tax cut proposals.

"I need to have this dialogue across America so I can be best informed and best educated," said McCain, who in the past has acknowledged that he's stronger on national security and foreign affairs than he is on the economy.

The likely Republican presidential nominee spent a couple hours reiterating his free-trade, low-tax, small-government pitch, and engaging in a back-and-forth with local businesses executives. The events were held in a warehouse at Bucyrus International, Inc., a company that designs and manufactures heavy mining equipment.

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Clinton picks up union endorsement

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed Wednesday by a union that represents plasterers and cement masons in the construction industry.

The 45,000-member Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association timed its announcement for Clinton's speech Wednesday before the AFL-CIO's Building Trades National Legislative Conference. Clinton announced the support when she took the stage and said she was grateful and honored.

Union President Pat Finley said in a statement that Clinton has the ability to turn around the economy and rebuild the middle class.

"She has a clear record fighting for working families, and is the strongest candidate to go toe-to-toe with John McCain in November," Finley said.

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Murtha: McCain too old to be president

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democratic Rep. John Murtha said Wednesday that Republican Sen. John McCain is too old to be president.

Murtha is 75, four years older than McCain. He says they are nearly the same age, and the rigors of running the country are too much for guys their age.

"I've served with seven presidents," Murtha told a union audience. "When they come in, they all make mistakes. They all get older."

"This one guy running is about as old as me," he said, drawing laughter and applause. "Let me tell you something, it's no old man's job."

If elected, McCain would be the oldest man to become president at age 72. Ronald Reagan became president at age 69, but he served as president for eight years and was just a few weeks shy of his 78th birthday when he left office.

McCain, in an interview Wednesday with CNN, said, "All I can tell you is that I admire and respect Jack Murtha. Speak for yourself, Jack. I'm doing fine. Thanks."

Murtha, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, commented while introducing the candidate he has endorsed, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, to the AFL-CIO's Building Trades National Legislative Conference.

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THE NUMBERS

Barack Obama has an 8-point lead nationally over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic presidential race, 50 percent to 42 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 13-15 and involved interviews with 1,282 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 spoke at a conference of the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department in Washington. Clinton and Barack Obama are scheduled to participate in a debate in Philadelphia.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain held meetings on the economy in Milwaukee.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit." _ Rock star Bruce Springsteen, in a letter in which he endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president Wednesday.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Pennsylvania is allotted 29 superdelegates. Of those, 15 back Hillary Rodham Clinton, five back Barack Obama, six are undecided and three have not yet been named. Superdelegates are the nearly 800 elected officials and party leaders who could decide who becomes the Democratic party's presidential nominee.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.

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