Elton opens for Clinton

One of the most intriguing questions of the Democratic presidential contest is whether being black is a net gain for Barack Obama, and whether being a woman is a net gain for Hillary Clinton.

Clinton offered no answer yesterday, after a famous fan - rock star Elton John - suggested that her gender hurts her.

He said he was "amazed by the misogynistic attitudes of some of the people in this country", as he opened a concert in New York City that raised US$2.5 million ($3.16 million) for Clinton's campaign.

"I don't know how I'd assess what role it's playing," Clinton said. "You can't ignore the fact that gender and race are embodied in our two candidacies."