Clinton looks to cut U.S. murder rate

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Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday courted urban voters with a call to cut the nation's murder rate in half with a $4 billion-a-year crime-fighting plan she announced in her rival's stronghold of Philadelphia.

The New York Democratic presidential aspirant said the price tag for hiring 100,000 new police officers, setting up re-entry programs for convicts and cracking down on the methamphetamine scourge pales in comparison to the cost of the Iraq war and would be paid for by nixing some corporate subsidies.

"It is a sad day in America when the president can find hundreds of billions of dollars to police another country's civil war, but cuts funding for police officers right here at home," said Mrs. Clinton.

In Indiana, Sen. Barack Obama — the front-runner in the race for the party's nomination that has increasingly taken a populist turn — assailed hefty pay for corporate bosses and touted his proposed legislation that would give shareholders nonbinding votes on executives' compensation packages.

"This isn't just about expressing outrage," said Mr. Obama, campaigning ahead of the state's May 6 primary.

"It's about changing a system where bad behavior is rewarded — so that we can hold CEOs accountable, and make sure they're acting in a way that's good for their company, good for our economy and good for America not just good for themselves."

Mrs. Clinton's campaign stop in Philadelphia, which had 392 reported homicides last year, answered calls from city Democratic leaders who want the presidential candidates to address issues of guns, gangs and prison reform — topics taking a back seat to the war and economic woes.

The event also staked a challenge to Mr. Obama's lock on urban voters in Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Clinton needs a decisive win in the state's April 22 primary to help her stay in the race.

Mrs. Clinton narrowly leads in statewide polls, but Mr. Obama maintains an advantage in Philadelphia.

"At its core, my agenda is about responsibility," Mrs. Clinton said. "It's about the federal government living up to its responsibility to help restore order in our communities, pave the way for economic development and new jobs, and help our families feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods."

Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, locked in a prolonged nomination fight, are vying for union votes and middle-class voters hard hit by the country's economic downturn.

"We've seen what happens when CEOs are paid for doing a job, no matter how bad a job they're doing," Mr. Obama of Illinois said. "We can't afford to postpone reform any longer. That's why Washington needs to act immediately to pass this legislation."

Mr. Obama's bill, the Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act, would not limit executive compensation but would highlight for shareholders the salary and benefit packages and give shareholders a nonbinding vote on the deals.

In calling for swift passage of the bill, Mr. Obama cited a recent study in USA Today that showed the top 50 CEOs each pocketed about $15.7 million last year, despite many of their companies losing money.

As he has done more often recently, Mr. Obama used the occasion to criticize presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, noting Mr. McCain's recent comments about the disproportionate pay showered on corporate CEOs.

"I was glad to hear it," Mr. Obama said. "But when he's had the chance to do something about this problem, he's opted for continuing the do-nothing approach of the Bush years. And this seems to be a trend with Senator McCain."

McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said Mr. Obama was grandstanding on the issue and his "words don't match his action," a criticism the campaign repeatedly has used against Mr. Obama.

"Apparently Senator Obama thinks cheap political attacks and typical Washington shenanigans substitute for real leadership," Mr. Bounds said. "Corporate boards have the power to serve shareholders and make CEO pay match performance."

He said Mr. McCain opposes CEOs using "cozy relationships with boards ... to rake in millions on the backs of small investors" and would use the bully pulpit of the presidency to press the issue.