John McCain was today trying to salvage an already shaky reputation after America's female voters were reminded of derogatory remarks about women and rape made by a friend of the Republican candidate nearly 20 years ago.

While running unsuccessfully for governor of Texas, Clayton Williams was overheard comparing rape to the weather, saying: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."

McCain should have been fundraising in Texas yesterday alongside his good friend. Instead, following the resurrection of the off-colour remark, the McCain campaign cancelled the fundraiser at Mr Williams' lavish home.

DAMAGE

The campaign is also promising to hand back the €200,000 Williams has already raised for the McCain campaign as it tried to contain the damage.

Mr McCain's spokesman, Brian Rogers, said: "These were obviously incredibly offensive remarks that the campaign was unaware of at the time the fundraiser was scheduled."

The McCain campaign has been busy targeting supporters of Hillary Clinton after the bitterness of the primary struggle with Barack Obama.

But while these women may be angry that Mrs Clinton has been blocked from making a historic bid for the White House, they are proving reluctant to support Mr McCain despite a very public charm offensive about Mrs Clinton's attributes as a leader.

Mr Obama has already moved into a 19pc lead over Mr McCain among female voters and at an appearance in the car manufacturing town of Flint, Michigan, yesterday, he sought to paint the Republican candidate as an out-of-touch clone of President George W Bush, attacking him on trade policy, taxes, the environment, and education.

Mrs Clinton's supporters are also aware of a tasteless joke Mr McCain made about Chelsea Clinton's looks in 1998. While the mainstream US media deemed it "too vicious to print", Mr McCain's remarks at another Republican fundraiser still echo round the internet. "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?" he asked his guests. It was, he said," because her father is Janet Reno (US attorney general under President Bill Clinton)."

Mr McCain later personally apologised to Mr Clinton for the remarks and went on to become a close friend of Mrs Clinton.

The McCain back-story of imprisonment and torture while a prisoner of war in Vietnam have made his campaign almost bomb-proof.

Known as "Senator Hothead", for his volcanic temper, Mr McCain, now 71, has turned that unhelpful trait into a badge of honour, explaining that while he regrets losing his cool from time to time, it reflects the passion he feels for his country.

- Leonard Doyle