Today on the presidential campaign trail

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., reacts at her Indiana Primary night party in Indianapolis, Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

IN THE HEADLINES

A resolute Clinton vows to press on, despite dwindling time and money ... Obama inches closer to prize after trading primary wins with Clinton ... McCain jokes about reputation for having short temper ... Obama weighs moves to end Democratic race while planning stops in general election states

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Time, money running out as Clinton vows to press on

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Her money drained and her options dwindling, a resolute Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to press on with her presidential bid even as she and top advisers were hard-pressed to describe a realistic path for her to wrest the nomination from Barack Obama.

After a wrenching primary outcome Tuesday in which she was routed in North Carolina and barely won Indiana, Clinton made a hastily scheduled trip to West Virginia to show her determination to fight on. The state holds a primary next Tuesday.

"I'm so happy to be here in West Virginia and excited about the next week as we campaign here in this beautiful state about our country's future," Clinton told an audience at Shepherd University on Wednesday.

She planned to return to the state Thursday, then fly to South Dakota and Oregon, which also have upcoming contests.

Also Wednesday, aides disclosed that Clinton had lent her campaign $6.4 million since mid-April, on top of a separate $5 million loan in February. She contributed $5 million on April 11, $1 million on May 1 and $425,000 on May 5.

Spokesman Howard Wolfson said the New York senator made the investment to keep pace with Obama, who has shattered all fundraising records and vastly outspent her in recent contests. The loan also reinforced her belief that the campaign must continue, Wolfson said, suggesting she would be willing to spend more of her own wealth if necessary.

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Obama gains superdelegates after trading wins with Clinton

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama pocketed the support of at least four Democratic superdelegates on Wednesday, building on the momentum from a convincing North Carolina primary victory. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, who narrowly won the Indiana primary, vowed to remain in the race "until there's a nominee."

Among Obama's four new superdelegates was Virginia's Jennifer McClellan, who had supported Clinton.

The Obama campaign announced three other supporters -- North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek, North Carolina Democratic National Committee member Jeanette Council and California DNC member Inola Henry.

Clinton picked up another delegate in Rep. Heath Shuler, who said he would support whoever won his district in North Carolina.

Council said she decided over the weekend to endorse Obama but waited until after the primary to announce it on Wednesday.

"I just think Senator Obama is the face of America," the Cumberland County commissioner said in an interview with The Associated Press. "When I looked at it, I was so excited at the fact that he was bringing in so many new people and there was an excitement around the campaign."

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McCain jokes about reputation for temper

ROCHESTER, Mich. (AP) -- Republican John McCain pretended to snarl when asked about his temper Wednesday.

"How dare you ask that question!" McCain said, chuckling. His questioner persisted, reading a comment by a fellow Republican, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, that the idea of McCain as the GOP presidential nominee sent a chill down his spine.

"I'm all too familiar with the quote," said McCain, who has since smoothed things over with his colleague.

McCain, whose temper has earned him the nickname "Senator Hothead" by more than one publication, said he does get angry -- about corruption and runaway spending in Washington. "You know something, the American people are angry, too, and they're not going to take it anymore," he said.

If he really had a temper problem, McCain said, he would not have been able to work with fellow senators such as Edward M. Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat; Russ Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat; and his friend, Joe Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee who now is an independent.

"Let me tell you, I've worked across the aisle more than any other senator I know," McCain said.

McCain was on a campaign swing through Michigan, a general election battleground. The Arizona senator delivered a speech about human rights, followed by a town hall-style meeting.

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Obama maps out general election strategy

CHICAGO (AP) -- Barack Obama's campaign on Wednesday weighed ways to bring the drawn-out Democratic nominating process to a close while mapping out a strategy that will involve campaigning in battleground states where primaries already have been held.

Obama's drive to nail down the party nod was buoyed with a double-digit win in North Carolina and a stronger-than-expected run in Indiana, where he almost overcame rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama was expected to compete for the six remaining Democratic contests but to also turn attention to general election states, aides said.

Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain has "run free for some time now" because of Democratic preoccupation with the ongoing primary fight, said Obama strategist David Axelrod. "I don't think we're going to spend time solely in primary states," he said. "We have multiple tasks here."

The Illinois senator was enjoying a rare down day in his hometown before returning to Washington, D.C., late Wednesday.

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DAILY TRACK

Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are statistically tied nationally in the Democratic presidential race, according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update.

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THE DELEGATE BREAKDOWN

Barack Obama: 1,846.5

Hillary Rodham Clinton: 1,696

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THE DEMOCRATS

Hillary Rodham Clinton met with voters in Shepherdstown, W. Va., before holding a fundraiser in Washington. Barack Obama had no campaign events.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain met with voters in Rochester, Mich.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Hillary, of course, will make the decision as to if and when she ends her campaign. But I hope that she reaches that decision soon so that we can concentrate on a unified party capable of winning the White House next November." -- Former Sen. George McGovern, an early supporter of Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Exit polls showed that 47 percent of the Democratic presidential primary voters in North Carolina said the situation with Barack Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, was important in making their decision. Fifty-one percent said it wasn't too important.

In Indiana, 46 percent said the Wright situation was important, compared with 50 percent who said it was not, according to exit polls.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner.