'Issues, not race will decide election,' says Obama

Barack Obama said issues, not race, will decide the US presidential election after a top fundraiser for his rival Hillary Clinton stepped down after putting some of Mr Obama’s success down to him being a black man.

Mr Obama called the comments by Geraldine Ferraro, who was the first woman to run as a candidate for vice president in 1984, “ridiculous”.

The apparent end of the row, for now at least, came as the three main candidates for president cast key votes on America’s budget.

The largely symbolic Senate votes saw both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton win in their battle against extending President George Bush’s tax cuts for middle and higher-income taxpayers, investors and people inheriting businesses and big estates.

Republican presidential nominee-to-be John McCain supported the extension.

Talking about the race issue, Mr Obama told reporters: “We keep on thinking we’ve dispelled this.

“And it keeps on getting raised once again.”

He said some voters might favour either him or Mrs Clinton because of race or gender, but added: “The overwhelming majority of Americans are going to make these decisions based on who they think will be the best president.

“I have absolute confidence that if I’m doing my job, if I’m delivering my message, then there are very few voters out there that I can’t win.

“If I’m not winning them over, then it’s my fault.”

Mr Obama also dismissed the former first lady’s criticism that he cannot win large states which will be key battlegrounds in November, saying he had won in Wisconsin, Missouri, Colorado, Iowa and Virginia.

With only ten contests remaining, the candidates are fighting for every delegate in the primary season, which will now focus on Pennsylvania, and the state’s 158 delegates, on April 22.

Mr Obama now has 1,598 delegates, compared with Mrs Clinton’s 1,487, figures from the Associated Press showed.

With neither candidate likely to reach the magic number of 2,025 needed to clinch the party’s nomination with pledged delegates alone, the race is likely to come down to the all-important superdelegates – influential party officials, members of Congress and governors whose votes are not tied to the primary season results.

The next contest is in Pennsylvania on April 22, followed by others in Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana, South Dakota and Guam.

The outcome of the debate over what will happen with delegates from Florida and Michigan, who were disqualified for breaking party rules by holding their contests too early, is still uncertain.

Mrs Clinton said the contests, which she won, should count, even though Mr Obama’s name did not appear on the ballot in Michigan and neither candidate campaigned in Florida.

However, Mr Obama said this “defies logic”.

Logistical and legal problems also surround a potential mail-in primary election.

Meanwhile, President George Bush said the Republican nominee-to-be John McCain was running on a “clear, consistent and conservative agenda”.

“I’m optimistic about this year because I know John McCain,” he said.

“I’ve know him for many years. I’ve seen his character and leadership up close. I’ve campaigned with him and I’ve campaigned against him and I can tell you this: He’s a tough competitor.”