IN THE HEADLINES

McCain leaves housing crisis options on table but places limits on government assistance ... Democratic Party approves moving Puerto Rico primary to June 1 ... Clinton adviser stands by his comparison of Bill Richardson to Judas

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McCain leaves housing crisis options on table

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — John McCain wants to leave the door open to a wide array of proposals to address the turmoil in home financing.

"I will not play election-year politics with the housing crisis," the certain Republican presidential nominee said in remarks prepared for delivery Tuesday to local business leaders south of Los Angeles. "I will evaluate everything in terms of whether it might be harmful or helpful to our effort to deal with the crisis we face now."

McCain seemed to suggest he would be open even to potential solutions that, perhaps, stray from the Republican party line, saying, "I will consider any and all proposals based on their cost and benefits" and "I will not allow dogma to override common sense."

But the small-government advocate and four-term Arizona senator also put restrictions on how far he was willing to go.

"I have always been committed to the principle that it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers," McCain said. "Government assistance to the banking system should be based solely on preventing systemic risk that would endanger the entire financial system and the economy."

In the midst of a weeklong western fundraising swing, the GOP's next standard-bearer was using the event in the Republican stronghold of Orange County to showcase his grasp of the country's economic troubles — and counter the notion that he's not up to the task of leading a nation on the brink of recession.

McCain has acknowledged in the past that he knows less about economics than he does about national security and foreign policy, and Democrats have seized on such remarks to argue that the Republican is a novice on bread-and-butter issues that voters care about most.

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Puerto Rico moves up primary

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic Party has approved Puerto Rico's proposal to scrap its caucus and hold a presidential primary on June 1.

A primary will give more voters a chance to take part in the nominating process, said Puerto Rico Democratic Chairman Roberto Prats. He said caucuses were fine in previous years, when the party nominee was settled by the time Puerto Rico voted and the only task was to choose delegates to the national convention.

"Now it's different," Prats told the Democratic National Committee's rules panel in a conference call Monday. "This is the first time in decades that Puerto Rico will be participating in an event of this magnitude."

Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are locked in a historic fight for the nomination that could last all the way to the national convention this summer in Denver. Puerto Rico will have 55 delegates at stake in its primary, and will award them proportionally.

Only three remaining states, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana, have more Democratic delegates up for grabs.

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No Carville apology for Judas remark

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton adviser James Carville is refusing to apologize for comparing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to Judas.

Carville made the comparison to The New York Times after Richardson, once a member of President Clinton's Cabinet, endorsed Hillary Clinton rival Barack Obama last week for the Democratic presidential nomination. Carville called it an "act of betrayal," and pointed out that it came during Holy Week.

"Mr. Richardson's endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out (Jesus) for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic," he said.

Richardson told "Fox News Sunday" that he wouldn't respond by getting "in the gutter like that."

"That's typical of many of the people around Senator Clinton," Richardson said. "They think they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency."

Carville told CNN on Monday that Richardson had committed an "egregious act" and he intended to make a sharp response to it.

"I wanted to use a very strong metaphor to make my point," Carville said. "I doubt if Governor Richardson and I will be particularly close in the future."

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson told reporters Monday that he didn't agree with Carville's comment.

"If I had said it, I would apologize," Wolfson said. "I did not say it, and if I had I would, but that's up to him."

Richardson served as ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary during the Clinton administration.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigns in Pennsylvania. Barack Obama has no scheduled campaign events.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain campaigns in California.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"I went to 80 countries, you know. I gave contemporaneous accounts, I wrote about a lot of this in my book. You know, I think that, a minor blip, you know, if I said something that, you know, I say a lot of things — millions of words a day — so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement." — Hillary Rodham Clinton, explaining a remark in which she erroneously said she had come under sniper fire in Bosnia.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Fifteen percent of Pennsylvanians are senior citizens, a larger percentage than all but two other states. This group has been among Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's most reliable supporters.

Compiled by Ann Sanner and Jerry Estill.rolex replicas, replica watches,