U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain has denied having an inappropriate relationship with a female telecommunications lobbyist.

The Arizona senator told reporters Thursday that he and lobbyist Vicki Iseman were just friends. He says a report in The New York Times is not true, adding that he is very disappointed by the article.

The newspaper quoted unnamed aides as saying that they urged McCain and Iseman to stay away from each during his election campaign in 2000. McCain says he was never aware of any such conversation.

The newspaper notes Iseman represented telecommunications companies who had business before the Senate Commerce Committee, which McCain led at the time.

In other news, New York Senator Hillary Clinton lashed out at her main Democratic rival, Barack Obama, expressing doubt that he is ready to lead the United States. She spoke Wednesday, a day after losing two more presidential nominating contests to Obama.

Also, Senator Obama has won the Democrats Abroad global primary, giving him 11 delegate votes for the Democratic National Convention.

The latest win gives Obama 11 straight victories in nominating contests. He is ahead of Clinton in the number of delegates.