Those who thought the Democratic presidential nomination was finished might have walked out of McKinley Middle School Friday night believing U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton still has a fighting chance.

Former president Bill Clinton said the naysayers "want half of you to stay home" on Election Day. But, he said, if West Virginians turn out for his wife "in big, big numbers, your neighbors in Kentucky will be energized and try to follow your performance."

West Virginia's primary election is Tuesday, while Kentucky's follows that by one week.

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Chip Ellis

Former President Bill Clinton, continuing his whirlwind tour of West Virginia for wife’s presidential bid, addresses a crowd at McKinley Middle School in St. Albans on Friday evening.

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Clinton reportedly found plenty of gifts, and he also found an enthusiastic crowd, not yet ready to hand the Democratic nomination over to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

"Bill and Hillary Clinton have a great commitment to West Virginia, and this state loves them," said Marie Prezioso, the state party's national committeewoman, who has committed to Hillary Clinton as a super delegate.

St. Albans resident Jim Canterbury, a House of Delegates candidate, said he wants a president who knows how to be tough, and the New York senator fits that bill.

"I think it'll be great to have a woman as president," he said. "I think she's proven to be quite a fighter."

The former president barnstormed across Southern West Virginia on Friday, starting the morning in Madison. He then made stops in Williamson and Wayne before St. Albans, and ended the day in Ripley. In addition to the extra stop in Milton, Clinton had his motorcade stop at Kermit Elementary School, where students came outside to greet him, the spokeswoman said.

"Don't let them fool you," he warned the crowd about those who say the presidential race is over.

Clinton gave a number of reasons to vote for his wife, but said there are three that stand out.

Those who thought the Democratic presidential nomination was finished might have walked out of McKinley Middle School Friday night believing U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton still has a fighting chance.

Former president Bill Clinton said the naysayers "want half of you to stay home" on Election Day. But, he said, if West Virginians turn out for his wife "in big, big numbers, your neighbors in Kentucky will be energized and try to follow your performance."

West Virginia's primary election is Tuesday, while Kentucky's follows that by one week.

The former president spoke to about 400 people in a hot gymnasium, starting about 90 minutes late. A spokeswoman said Clinton was late because he insisted on shopping at the Blenko glass factory in Milton for Mother's Day gifts.

Clinton reportedly found plenty of gifts, and he also found an enthusiastic crowd, not yet ready to hand the Democratic nomination over to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

"Bill and Hillary Clinton have a great commitment to West Virginia, and this state loves them," said Marie Prezioso, the state party's national committeewoman, who has committed to Hillary Clinton as a super delegate.

St. Albans resident Jim Canterbury, a House of Delegates candidate, said he wants a president who knows how to be tough, and the New York senator fits that bill.

"I think it'll be great to have a woman as president," he said. "I think she's proven to be quite a fighter."

The former president barnstormed across Southern West Virginia on Friday, starting the morning in Madison. He then made stops in Williamson and Wayne before St. Albans, and ended the day in Ripley. In addition to the extra stop in Milton, Clinton had his motorcade stop at Kermit Elementary School, where students came outside to greet him, the spokeswoman said.

"Don't let them fool you," he warned the crowd about those who say the presidential race is over.

Clinton gave a number of reasons to vote for his wife, but said there are three that stand out.

"She's the best person to rebuild the middle class," he said. In the past decade, it has shrunk as wages have become stagnant, he said.

She also is the right person to "end the war in Iraq in the right way," he said, noting the number of high-ranking military officers who have endorsed her candidacy.

As part of that, he said she will take care of veterans, noting that she has pushed legislation to help soldiers recover from head wounds suffered from roadside bombs and authored legislation giving soldiers adequate body armor

Biggest, Clinton said, is his wife's experience.

"This woman has spent a lifetime changing people's lives," the former president said.

He then listed a litany of projects his wife took on as the nation's first lady and as first lady of Arkansas. She hasn't lived in Arkansas in 15 years, but voters there still gave her a 70 percent victory, he said.

"She's a genius at making changes in other people's lives," Clinton said.

Those changes included heading his Children's Health Insurance Program while he was president, something that has given millions of children across the nation health care they did not have before.

Sen. Clinton made an appearance at the state Capitol on Thursday and will be back in West Virginia on Monday, to attend a rally at Logan High School.

Her husband spent Thursday barnstorming across the north-central part of the state and ended his day in Mercer County.

To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.