Obama calls McCain campaign cynical but not racist

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama today described John McCain’s campaign against him as one driven by cynicism but not racism and rejected the criticism that he himself had brought race into their debate.

The McCain campaign charged this week that Mr Obama had “played the race card” in accusing Mr McCain and other Republicans of planning to scare voters by pointing out that he “doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills” – all of whom are white men.