Obama defends his patriotism in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Wearing a flag lapel pin, Sen. Barack Obama emphasized his patriotism and support for a strong and humane military Monday, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton implored West Virginians to sustain her hopes of somehow denying him the Democratic presidential nomination.

Obama expects Clinton to win today's primary in West Virginia, which has large numbers of working-class whites -- a group that usually backs the former first lady -- as well as a strong military tradition. 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.

On Monday, Obama broke from his usual practice by sporting the flag pin on his suit jacket and reading his speech instead of talking without notes.

He told several thousand people at the Charleston Civic Center that patriotism means more than saluting flags and holding parades. He criticized Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain for opposing a Democratic bill to expand education benefits for veterans.

"At a time when we're facing the largest homecoming since the Second World War," Obama said of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, "the true test of our patriotism is whether we will serve our returning heroes as well as they've served us."

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

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

Clinton planned four campaign stops in West Virginia on Monday, hoping for a big margin today that could slow the continuing drift of Democratic superdelegates to Obama's camp. Implying that the party could lose in November if he is the nominee, Clinton told patrons of Tudor's Biscuit World in Charleston: "I keep telling people, no Democrat has won the White House since 1916 without winning West Virginia."

At a campaign stop in Logan, W.Va., Clinton was introduced by state Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, who talked about Clinton carrying the state 80-20 percent or even 90-10.

"You think this crowd's noisy, just wait till we win like 80-20," Chafin said.

Obama's campaign announced Monday that he will visit politically neglected Florida and Michigan, as he pivots to a general election strategy.

It will be Obama's first time in either state since signing a pledge nine months ago not to campaign in the two states that violated national party rules with early primaries.

All the Democratic presidential candidates agreed on boycotting Michigan and Florida. Clinton won both states, although Obama's name was not on the Michigan ballot, and no delegates were awarded. Restoring the delegates is a major part of Clinton's longshot strategy for the nomination.

Clinton's last best hope is to use strong showings in West Virginia and Kentucky to make the case that Obama is weak among key Democratic constituents.