As Pennsylvanians headed to the polls this morning to cast their votes in the state's primary, Sen. Barack Obama made one last campaign stop in Pittsburgh, greeting breakfast patrons at Pamela's restaurant in the Strip District -- and answering a question about 'race card' comments earlier this morning by former President Bill Clinton.

The Illinois senator was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, Steelers owner Dan Rooney and a crush of photographers and reporters. He entered the restaurant just before 9 a.m. and spent the next 45 minutes shaking hands with patrons and ordering breakfast -- a "regular hotcake," which he shared with his wife, hash browns, orange juice and coffee.

Joining him at the table were Mr. Rooney and Gail Klingensmith, co-owner of Pamela's.

The senator cleaned his plate as photographers crowded around the table, a boom mike hovering overhead.

After mingling with diners, Mr. Obama sat down for breakfast with Mr. Rooney, then held an impromptu news conference with reporters.

Mr. Obama was asked about comments made by Mr. Clinton in a radio interview today accusing Mr. Obama's campaign of "playing the race card on me."

Mr. Clinton was talking to station WHYY in Philadelphia about his comparison of Mr. Obama's victory in South Carolina with the support of black Democrats to Jesse Jackson's primary wins, which critics said was an attempt by Mr. Clinton to highlight Mr. Obama's race.

"This was used out of context, and this was twisted for political purposes by the Obama campaign to try to breed resentment elsewhere," Mr. Clinton said in the radio interview. "And we now know, from memos from the campaign and everything that they planned to do it all along."

In response to a reporter's question about Mr. Clinton's remarks, Mr. Obama looked puzzled and said, "So hold on a second. So former President Clinton dismissed my victory in South Carolina as being similar to Jesse Jackson and he is suggesting that somehow I had something to do with it. OK, well you better ask him what he meant by that. I have no idea what he meant. These are words that came out of his mouth, not out of mine."

Regardless of the outcome in today's primary, Mr. Obama said he'd come to the conclusion that "this race will continue until the last primary or caucus vote is cast. And that's not that far away."

He also expressed confidence that, whatever the outcome in Pennsylvania, he will eventually prevail over Mrs. Clinton, and "when I am the nominee [Gov.] Ed Rendell is going to be working for me just as hard as he has been working for Sen. Clinton."

"This whole notion that somehow because there are some voters, whether it is older voters or blue collar voters who prefer Sen. Clinton over me that that means I can't get their vote, that just isn't borne out by the polling and it is not borne out by the history of the people's voting patterns. The party is going to come together after the nomination is settled."

He was also asked if his comment that "even John McCain would be better than George W. Bush" as president undercut the Democrat's argument that the Arizona senator was an extension of Mr. Bush.

"Oh, no," said Mr. Obama. "I know that conventional, textbook politics means that unless you completely demonize the other side then you are showing weakness. I think to say that John McCain and some of his instincts may be better than George Bush's, that's a low bar. And what I also said in the same breath was that his ideas, what he's offering are warmed over versions of Bush foreign policy and economic policy. So there's no contradiction there."

Before his comments to reporters, Mr. Obama worked the crowd at Pamela's, shaking hands and talking issues.

Pam Cohen, one of the eatery's co-owners, said his visit made her decide to vote for Mr. Obama.

"I was waffling, no pun intended," she said. "But now I'm going to vote for him. He's the best thing to come along since JFK."

Cliff Jones, 63, of Pleasant Hills, spent a few minutes chatting with Mr. Obama.

"This was my lucky day, but then I've had a string of good luck. Two days ago, Hines Ward was in here and I met him," said Mr. Jones, who added that he'd already decided to vote for Mr. Obama.

But not everyone was swayed. Jim Caso, 48, of Lewistown, Maine, was visiting Pamela's with a friend. While Mr. Obama spent a good five minutes talking with him, Mr. Caso refused to say whether he would support for the Illinois senator.

"I'll say this -- he's a lot more personable in person that he is on television," Mr. Caso said. "He does have a charisma and his wife is very charming. It's nice to see him with the people, but that will stop if he becomes president. Still, I felt he paid attention to what I was saying, and that's important."

From Pittsburgh, Mr. Obama is expected to fly to Philadelphia for some last-minute campaign stops before heading to Indiana, which holds the next primary election on May 6.