ELEANOR - Struggling to keep her presidential hopes alive, Democrat Hillary Clinton urged Putnam County residents Sunday night to vote for her Tuesday and send a message to the national political pundits who have said her campaign is over.

"The eyes of the country and the world will be on West Virginia Tuesday," Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., told a hot school gymnasium packed with about 400 people.

Clinton, who all polls say will best Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in Tuesday's state primary election, said this would be "West Virginia's time" in the national political spotlight. It is the first time the nation has watched West Virginia's primary election since the 1960 race between John F. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey.

Clinton's speech stayed away from criticism of Obama, choosing instead to make the Bush administration her target.

"We cannot afford four more years of what we've been through the last seven," she said to cheers from the crowd and her daughter, Chelsea, who accompanied the former first lady on the campaign swing through the state.

She promised the crowd she would "stand up and fight for you every day" if she wins in November.

"One thing you know about me is I may get knocked down, but I get back up," she said.

That convinced some in the crowd.

"I was kind of wavering," said Eleanor resident David Luff.

He and his wife, Deborah, walked out of the gym believing Clinton can still pull off a win.

"You just never know," his wife said.

"The math doesn't look good," her husband conceded.

Others, like Eleanor resident Joe Crocket, were huge Clinton fans before and after hearing her speech.

"I think she ought to be our next president," he said. "I think if she was running our country we wouldn't be in the shape we're in right now."

Clinton pointed out that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, left the nation with a balanced budget and a surplus in 2001. Now the nation has the largest debt it has ever had, including an unfunded war in Iraq, she said.

"We are now borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Saudis," she said, adding that can't be good for the nation.

ELEANOR - Struggling to keep her presidential hopes alive, Democrat Hillary Clinton urged Putnam County residents Sunday night to vote for her Tuesday and send a message to the national political pundits who have said her campaign is over.

"The eyes of the country and the world will be on West Virginia Tuesday," Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., told a hot school gymnasium packed with about 400 people.

Clinton, who all polls say will best Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in Tuesday's state primary election, said this would be "West Virginia's time" in the national political spotlight. It is the first time the nation has watched West Virginia's primary election since the 1960 race between John F. Kennedy and Hubert H. Humphrey.

Clinton's speech stayed away from criticism of Obama, choosing instead to make the Bush administration her target.

"We cannot afford four more years of what we've been through the last seven," she said to cheers from the crowd and her daughter, Chelsea, who accompanied the former first lady on the campaign swing through the state.

She promised the crowd she would "stand up and fight for you every day" if she wins in November.

"One thing you know about me is I may get knocked down, but I get back up," she said.

That convinced some in the crowd.

"I was kind of wavering," said Eleanor resident David Luff.

He and his wife, Deborah, walked out of the gym believing Clinton can still pull off a win.

"You just never know," his wife said.

"The math doesn't look good," her husband conceded.

Others, like Eleanor resident Joe Crocket, were huge Clinton fans before and after hearing her speech.

"I think she ought to be our next president," he said. "I think if she was running our country we wouldn't be in the shape we're in right now."

Clinton pointed out that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, left the nation with a balanced budget and a surplus in 2001. Now the nation has the largest debt it has ever had, including an unfunded war in Iraq, she said.

"We are now borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Saudis," she said, adding that can't be good for the nation.

She again promised that the day she takes office she would ask her military commanders to develop a plan within 60 days to withdraw troops from Iraq.

"I know it's going to be difficult and dangerous," she said.

She then said, "And when we bring our troops home we're going to take care of them."

Clinton noted West Virginia has sent more soldiers per capita to fight for the nation than any other state.

"But force should be used as a last resort, not a first resort in solving the problems we face," she said.

She also vowed to fix the economy and provide health care for all.

"To me this is not just about the next election, but the next generation," she said.

The crowd surged around Clinton after the speech and she spent time obliging them.

"She signed my plate," an excited Heather Connolly of Charleston said when leaving.

It was a cardboard plate Connolly had earlier eaten Mother's Day dinner on. Connolly said she voted early and cast her ballot for Clinton.

"Chicks rule," she said.

"I think she was great," St. Albans resident Ruth Dennie said, noting she, too, had already voted for Clinton.

Clinton noted that the late first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was a hero of hers. The Putnam County town was named for Eleanor Roosevelt.

It was one of three homestead towns established through the National Industrial Recovery Act in 1936 that sent 25,000 poor families on farms in new, self-sustaining communities.

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