MISHAWAKA, Indiana (AP):

United States Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been thrown on the defensive over his remark about bitter xenophobic voters who "cling to guns or religion".

It has given rival Hillary Rodham Clinton a new chance to court working-class Democrats 10 days before Pennsylvanians hold a primary that she must win to keep her presidential campaign alive.

At issue are comments he made privately at a fund-raiser in San Francisco a week ago. He was trying to explain his troubles winning over some working-class voters, saying they have become frustrated with economic conditions.

Frustrations

"It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who are not like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations," the senator had said.

Obama tried to quell the furore Saturday, explaining his remarks while also conceding he had chosen his words poorly.

"If I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that," Obama was quoted as saying in an interview with the Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Journal.

But the Clinton campaign fuelled the controversy everywhere it could, hoping charges that Obama is elitist and arrogant will resonate with the swing voters the can-didates are vying for not only in Pennsylvania, but in upcoming primaries in Indiana and North Carolina as well.

Political insiders differed on whether Obama's comments, which came to light Friday, would become a full-blown political disaster that could prompt party leaders to try to steer the nomination to Clinton even though Obama has more pledged conven-tion delegates.

Clinton supporters were eagerly hoping so.