                                       unscaledHeight:Number):void
     {
         // figure out backgroundColor
-        var backgroundColor:uint = 0xFFFFFF;
-        var drawBackground:Boolean = true;
+        var backgroundColor:*;
         var downColor:* = getStyle("downColor");
+		var drawBackground:Boolean = true;
         
         if (down && downColor !== undefined)
         {
             backgroundColor = downColor;
         }
-        else if (selected)
+		else if (selected)
         {
             backgroundColor = getStyle("selectionColor");
         }

 *  @productversion Flex 4.5
 */
[Style(name="verticalAlign", type="String", enumeration="bottom,middle,top", inherit="no")]

//--------------------------------------
//  Excluded APIs

        {
            backgroundColor = getStyle("rollOverColor");
        }
		else if (showsCaret)
		{
			// FIXME (rfrishbe): should probably be its own distinct color and style
			// Also, this is touch-specific...should it be called LabelItemRenderer
			// if it has touch-specific logic in here?  Should we gate it based 
			// on interactionMode?
			backgroundColor = getStyle("selectionColor");
		}
		else
		{
            var alternatingColors:Array = getStyle("alternatingItemColors");
            
            if (alternatingColors && alternatingColors.length > 0)
