The Democratic presidential candidates pressed their cases Monday, trying to capture last minute voters in Indiana and North Carolina by pushing their gas price reduction proposals and claiming momentum.

Criss-crossing through the two states in one marathon day, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both pledged that they would find solutions to the difficulties plaguing average Americans.

"In the end of the day, you don't hire a president to make speeches, you hire a president to solve problems," Clinton told a couple hundred people in a gymnasium at Pitt Community College, pressing her claim of experience.

"Let's listen to what the people are telling us," Clinton said, "because if we listen, we will hear this incredible cry."

Speaking at a construction site and later at a labor hall, Obama said he is working for every vote he gets.

"I'm going to be a partner with you," he said. "I'm going to be following through. But I need your help."

In their quest to continue on to the Democratic nomination, both Clinton and Obama have a flood of support from volunteers canvassing neighborhoods to TV ads, automatic phone calls and mailed literature. With far more cash on hand, Obama outspent Clinton by an estimated $4 million to $5 million -- roughly a third more -- on TV ads in both states combined.

But earned media is nearly as valuable and Clinton and Obama started their day expressing their confidence on most major cable and network programs about their chances of winning the Tuesday contests. They refused to predict whether voting this week would be decisive enough to end the primary fight and begin the general election against presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

Polling is conflicting and tight. Clinton is hoping to keep her slight edge in Indiana. She has narrowed the gap in North Carolina, but Obama still remains well ahead in the Tar Heel State.

Speaking on FOX News, Obama said he doesn't "spend a lot of time worrying about polls," and brushed off a USA Today poll that shows Clinton leading nationally as a result of the controversy over Obama's retiring pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama pointed to a New York Times/CBS poll that suggested his campaign hasn't been badly hurt as a result of the Wright distraction.

Explaining how he responds to voters' inquiries about it, Obama said, "What I said over the last week is Reverend Wright doesn't speak for me, I find what he said appalling and our campaign has consistently been about bringing the American people together to get things done."

He added, "The real debate that's happening right now in Indiana and North Carolina at the moment is about gas prices."

He took Clinton to task for suggesting a three-month gas tax holiday, which would reduce the cost of prices by 18.5 cents per gallon, calling it a gimmick that won't work if the oil companies decide to raise prices.

"It's not honest to say that we're going to suspend the gas tax for three months, at best providing 30 cents a day for a grand total of $28, instead of being straight with people, putting in place a serious tax stimulus that would give people a real break as I've proposed and putting in place permanent tax relief next year that will save families as much as $1,000 a year even while investing in alternative energy and investing in making sure we've got more fuel efficient cars," he said.

According to the CBS News/New York Times poll released Sunday, 49 percent of voters said they thought lifting the gas tax for the summer was a bad idea. Only 45 percent thought it was a good idea.

Clinton said she doesn't think that a lot of people understand her plan. She wants oil companies to pay the estimated $8 billion to $9 billion for the gap in income lost by the holiday.

"They deserve a president who's going to fight for them, be in their corner," Clinton said.

"This is an argument that befuddles me. He doesn't want to do anything about it. Senator Obama wants you to pay the gas tax this summer. I want the oil companies to pay it out of their record profits. I have a very responsible position that I think is going to put us on the right track in trying to zero in on these high costs where people are telling me they literally get sick to their stomachs when they drive into the gas station.

"Why don't we try to take on the oil companies to benefit consumers and drivers?" she asked.

But when questioned Sunday about the fact that no economists have signed on to her plan, Clinton told ABC's "This Week," "I'm not going to put my lot in with economists because I know if we did it right ... it would be implemented effectively."

Clinton told NBC on Monday that doesn't mean she wouldn't seek the advice of economists as president.

"Oh no, of course not," she said.

As the clock winds down on what has been an exhaustive primary season, Obama predicted on NBC's "Today" show that after the final contests June 3 in Montana and South Dakota, "We will be in a position to make a decision who the Democratic nominee is going to be," he said. "I will be the Democratic nominee."

Clinton refused to predict Tuesday's results, but said her campaign has made up some ground after falling behind.

Obama is ahead in the hunt for convention delegates -- 1,742.5 to 1,607.5, according to an Associated Press count Sunday -- but he has faced a spate of troubles over the past month. That has Clinton sensing an opening. Still, the delegate math works in Obama's favor, and it will be difficult for Clinton to overtake him. The winner will most likely have to be determined by the party's nearly 800 superdelegates, more than 250 of whom have not yet stated their preference.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.