Stumping all day in the state, Clinton pressed her case on why she is best suited to be the party's nominee, despite trailing Obama in pledged delegates, states won, the popular vote, and party superdelegate commitments, and while running a campaign that is millions of dollars in debt.

"The goal is to nominate someone who can beat John McCain in November," Clinton told a crowd in a packed middle-school gymnasium.

Obama delivered a speech in Charleston honoring veterans that was aimed more at the general election and a match against McCain than today's contest against Clinton.

He used his visit to Charleston to combat critics' claims that he is not particularly patriotic or ready to be commander in chief, in part because he never served in the military, usually does not wear a flag pin, and opposed the Iraq war from the start.

Obama broke from his usual practice by wearing a flag pin, the Associated Press reported.

"I'm honored that some of you will support me, and I understand that many more in West Virginia will probably support Sen. Clinton," Obama said to a small crowd in Charleston's convention center.

He criticized McCain for opposing a Democratic bill to expand education benefits for veterans.

He proposed expanded veterans' benefits for health care, education, housing and psychiatric treatment. He said McCain opposed the Democratic-crafted bill in Congress to expand education benefits "because he thinks it's too generous."

McCain's campaign said the Arizona senator backed a Republican alternative that he believes is better because it enhances benefits for those who stay longer in the military, thereby encouraging recruitment and retention of troops.

Obama's comments reflect the reality on the ground in the Mountaineer State - that he is poised to lose here, big time. A poll released yesterday by Boston's Suffolk University indicated that Clinton had a 36-point lead - 60 percent to 24 percent.

Clinton campaign officials say her expected victory here will underscore her point to the Democratic Party establishment and superdelegates that she is the stronger candidate in crucial swing states and constituencies - especially working-class whites - that often are critical to Democrats' chances in November.

But her argument may be moot. Even with a victory, she will remain far behind Obama in pledged delegates and popular votes, and few superdelegates seem to be rallying to her.

Obama didn't dwell on his impending West Virginia defeat. He jetted off to Lexington after his Charleston speech to campaign for next week's Kentucky primary.

Between visits to coming primary states - Kentucky, Oregon and South Dakota - Obama has scheduled stops this week in general-election battleground states, including Missouri and Michigan.

And Obama campaign officials announced that he would soon go to Florida, where, as in Michigan, he did not officially campaign in January primaries because the states violated party rules by moving up their voting dates.

"Our schedule reflects the fact that we are still fighting for votes and delegates in the remaining contests, but also that we are going to places that are going to be competitive in the fall," Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said.