The picture, sent to the Drudge Report website, shows Mr Obama wearing traditional African dress during a visit to Kenya in 2006.

The Obama camp says it was circulated by Mrs Clinton's staff as a smear. Mrs Clinton's team strongly Obama set for clear Maine victory ...
Kenyan opposition MP 'shot dead' ... denies this.

The row comes as the rivals campaign for two crucial primaries next week.

Analysts say Mrs Clinton needs to win the contests, in Texas and Ohio, to remain in the race to choose the Democratic candidate for November's presidential election.

'Fear-mongering'

The photograph shows Mr Obama wearing a white turban and a white robe presented to him by elders in north-eastern Kenya.

According to the Drudge Report, which published the photograph on Monday, it was circulated by "Clinton staffers".

Mr Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe accused Mrs Clinton's aides of "the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election".

The accusation was dismissed by Mrs Clinton's campaign manager Maggie Williams.

"If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed," she said.

"Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely."

Mrs Williams did not address the question of whether staffers circulated the photo.

(BBC)

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