WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Condolezza Rice congratulated Barack Obama yesterday on his history-making achievement in securing the Democratic presidential nomination.

Speaking at the State Department, Rice said: "The United States of America is an extraordinary country. It is a country that has overcome many, many, now years, decades, actually a couple of centuries of trying to make good on its principles. And I think what we are seeing is an extraordinary expression of the fact that 'we the people' is beginning to mean all of us."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino also extended President Bush's congratulations.

"Senator Obama came a long way in becoming his party's nominee. And his historic achievement reflects the fact that our country has come along way, too," she said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

McCain raised $20m in May, adviser says

John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, raised more than $20 million last month, his biggest monthly haul to date, a campaign adviser said yesterday.

The Arizona senator raised $18 million in April. He has now raised more than $110 million for his campaign, less than half of the $256 million taken through April 30 by presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

BLOOMBERG

Gains, gaps face women candidates, poll finds

WASHINGTON - People are more receptive to a woman running for high office than two decades ago, a poll showed yesterday. Yet women are seen as facing a tougher time than blacks running for the White House.

Nearly nine in 10 said they were glad to see a woman make a serious run for president this year, the CBS News poll said a day after Hillary Clinton was defeated by Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination. In 1984 when Geraldine Ferraro was the Democrats' vice presidential pick, about six in 10 said they were pleased a woman had been nominated.

Asked if the country is ready for a female president, six in 10 said yes. The poll involved telephone interviews with 712 registered voters conducted from May 30-June 2, and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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