"Let's saddle up and have an argument," he said as he campaigned for her in West Virginia. "What's the matter with that?"

With Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona having essentially locked up the GOP nomination weeks ago, some Democrats have suggested that the continuing, and at times, negative primary fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama gives McCain a head start on the general election campaign.

Bill Clinton dismissed such qualms as attempts to disenfranchise voters in the remaining primary states.

"When Hillary's gaining on him, they say, 'Oh, let's shut this down, let's not be divided,'" he said. "Don't you think your vote ought to count as much as the votes of people in Iowa?"

Obama holds a 1,621-to-1,499 lead in overall delegates for the nomination, which requires 2,024.

The race is so close that the party's "superdelegates" - hundreds of high-ranking Democrats who can vote for any candidate at the national convention - could swing the nomination to either Clinton or Obama.

West Virginia holds its primary May 13, with 28 delegates up for grabs.

The former president played on the crowd's blue-collar sympathies by calling Hillary Clinton's critics in the party "glitterati" and "elites."

During three appearances in West Virginia, Clinton stoked the fond memories audience members had of his eight years in office, like the man in Chesapeake who yelled out "Bring back the '90s!"

"When people say the '90s weren't all that great, Hillary likes to say, 'What didn't you like? The peace or the prosperity?'" Clinton said.

He told crowds they shouldn't vote for his wife based on his administration, but should take into account her plans for the country.