WASHINGTON - U.S. Capitol Police arrested dozens of protesters, many in wheelchairs, at the Senate office of  presidential candidate John McCain on Tuesday while to Arizona Republican was in Florida campaigning about health care as well as raising money.

The activists demanded to talk to McCain about his lack of support for legislation that would help poor handicapped people stay in their homes and out of nursing facilities.

McCain is the only presidential aspirant who has not endorsed the bill, said Bob Kafka, a spokesman for ADAPT, an activist group that staged the protest. Democratic contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton support the bill, he said.

About 500 members of the group are in Washington this week celebrating their 25th anniversary of community activism, Kafka said. About 40 protesters were in McCain’s office with another 50 outside the hallway shouting to see McCain. Hundreds of others staged another demonstration outside the Republican National Committee near the Capitol, he said.

Kafka said Medicaid rules are forcing people who need care into nursing institutions. “The main thing that drives our organization is the passion to live in our communities,” he said.

McCain’s office had no immediate comment on the protest. 

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria (protesters follow McCain in Florida).

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has a “little secret” about the candidate conservatives love to hate — she’s human.

In a light-hearted exchange on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” show following her primaries victories in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas, Clinton offered the conservative leaning news network an exclusive.

“I have a little secret which I will only tell Fox … if you promise not to tell anybody else,” she joked. “You know what? I really am a human being. I know that’s hard to believe but it happens to be true.”

The New York senator, known for her toughness in the face of adversity, has been trying to show her lighter side in her contest against Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. In the days leading up to Tuesday’s crucial primaries Clinton poked fun at herself on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” show and the “Daily Show” on Comedy Central.

Clinton may have something else working in her favor as she tries to win the Democratic nomination battle — she was born in October. Former White House political adviser Karl Rove noted that more U.S. presidents were born in October than any other month.
“I mean, the omens are just stacking up.  What can I say?” Clinton responded.

Photo credit: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton