US election at-a-glance: 5-11 Apr

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WEEK IN A NUTSHELL

Hillary Clinton's chief strategist Mark Penn steps down, after details emerge of a meeting he held with Colombian officials to help promote a trade pact with the US - a pact that Mrs Clinton officially opposes. All three candidates get a chance to question Gen David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on progress in Iraq when the two men testify before Senate committees. Barack Obama embarks on a bus-tour of Indiana and Mrs Clinton attends a fundraising concert which features a performance from Elton John.

KEY QUOTES

"I think that Senator Obama handled the issue well. He didn't look the other way. He didn't wait for the storm to go over. He went on television, and gave very thoughtful, direct speech. And he didn't abandon the minister who brought him closer to his faith." Former Secretary of State Colin Powell approves of Barack Obama's handling of the Jeremiah Wright row

I never fail to be amazed at the misogynistic attitude of some people in this country Elton John <a class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7331309.stm">At-a-glance: 29 Mar-4 Apr</a>

"This has got to come to an end by June. It has to be over and it will be over." Influential Democratic congressman Rahm Emanuel lays down the law

"You know, boys used to say that to me all the time." Hillary Clinton rejects suggestions that she should get out of the race

"Barack told me the first date he took Michelle to was Do the Right Thing. I said, 'Thank God I made it. Otherwise you would have taken her to Soul Man. Michelle would have been like, 'What's wrong with this brother?'"Film director Spike Lee ponders what might have been

"I've always been a Hillary supporter... I never fail to be amazed at the misogynistic attitude of some people in this country. And I say to hell with them." Elton John

"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 get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues."Sen Jay Rockefeller as he endorses Barack Obama

"If Senator Obama is going to maintain the type of campaign that he says that he is - a respectful campaign - and this is one of his closest and strongest supporters, than I think he should repudiate Senator Rockefeller. Immediately."John McCain responds

NUMBER NEWS

The majority of polls of Pennsylvania Democrats published this week suggest that Hillary Clinton's lead in the state has now narrowed to the low single digits.

Rasmussen, Strategic Vision, Public Policy Polling, Time and Zogby all give Mrs Clinton a lead over Barack Obama of between three and six points.

Of the remaining Pennsylvania polls, one - from InsiderAdvantage - gives her a ten-point lead, another - from SurveyUSA gives her an 18-point victory margin and a third - from ARG - has her tied with Mr Obama on 45%.

With the Democratic contest showing little sign of ending soon, Puerto Rico's primary on 1 June takes on added significance.

Consequently, pollsters Research & Research have carried out the first (ever?) poll of Puerto Rican primary voters, which indicates that the island's Democrats favour Mrs Clinton 50%-37%.

WEEKLY PICTURE

Elton John's concert, staged at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, raised some $2.5m for the Clinton campaign