CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Barack Obama yesterday turned his sights on winning the White House in November, as Hillary Rodham Clinton hinted she might wrap up her campaign as early as next week.

“Thank you for caring so much about our country,” Clinton said in a video sent yesterday to supporters. “And now it’s on to West Virginia and Kentucky and Oregon, and we’ll stay in touch.”

Not mentioned in her apparent video swan song are the final three primaries, in Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota, to be held after next week – leading to speculation that she might pull the plug on her campaign after what are expected to be strong wins in West Virginia and Kentucky.

But a new poll says 64 percent of Democrats nationwide, want her to stay in the race.

Even 42 percent of Obama’s supporters in the ABC News/ Washington Post poll, said they don’t want Clinton to throw in the towel.

Obama still leads Clinton by 12 points nationwide.

Separate polls released yesterday show Clinton beating Obama in West Virginia, 60 percent to 24 percent, and in Kentucky, 58 percent to 31 percent.

Obama has also said that after next Tuesday’s primaries in Kentucky and Oregon, he may be in a position to say that he’s effectively won the nomination.

Meanwhile, Clinton has been playing up her gender in the last few days on the campaign trail in West Virginia.

“A woman is like a tea bag: You never know how strong she is until she is in hot water,” she said.

Obama delivered a speech here yesterday in just his second visit to the state and acknowledged that Clinton would likely win today.

“I’m extraordinarily honored that some of you will support me, and I understand that many more here in West Virginia will probably support Senator Clinton,” he said to boos from his supporters.

Still, with the electoral mathematics firmly behind him, Obama turned to face Republican Sen. John McCain by announcing an extensive campaign tour through swing states that aren’t hosting primaries.

He goes to Michigan and Missouri today and will spend three days in Florida next week.

“We’re not going to let John McCain wander around in those states unchallenged anymore,” a spokesman said.

The themes of Obama’s speeches also have turned from Democratic politics to more broadly appealing orations about patriotism.

churt@nypost.com

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