Clinton aide quits over race row

A Hillary Clinton adviser has resigned over her comment that Barack Obama would not be ahead in the race for the White House if he were not black.

Geraldine Ferraro, a vice-presidential candidate in 1984, announced she was stepping down from an honorary role on Mrs Clinton's finance committee.

Earlier, she had told US network ABC that her remarks had been "spun by the Obama campaign as racist" but were not.

Mr Obama in turn rejected the idea that being black was a big advantage.

Mrs Clinton has distanced herself from the comments, quoted in a US newspaper interview last week.

The row flared up on Tuesday, the day of the Mississippi primary election, which was convincingly won by Mr Obama.

The result is not decisive but boosts his lead in terms of delegates at the August convention where the party will choose its White House candidate.

With the Republicans' race settled, their presumptive nominee, John McCain, has been focusing on a nationwide fund-raising drive.

A spokesman for the Clinton campaign confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Ms Ferraro had stepped down from her unpaid position on the New York senator's finance committee.

DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE RACE

BARACK OBAMA: 1,596

Delegates won on 11 March: 17

Total states won: 26

HILLARY CLINTON: 1,484

Delegates won on 11 March: 11

Total states won: 16

Delegates needed to secure nomination: 2,025.