BOWIE, Md.  -- Former President Clinton said Sunday that having to choose between his wife and Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination is a God-given dilemma.

Clinton, who visited black churches in the District of Columbia and Maryland, said he understands black people's desire to finally elect one of their own as president. But he urged them also to consider Hillary Rodham Clinton's experience and policy initiatives in housing, education, health care and her support voting representation in Congress for residents of the nation's capital.

He said New York Sen. Clinton is "the best qualified person to be president I've had an opportunity to vote for."

"All my life I have wanted to vote for a woman for president," Clinton told 800 parishioners at the Temple of Praise congregation in Washington. "All my life I have wanted to vote for an African-American for president. ... I wonder why God gave us this dilemma."

At a later service at Greater Mount Nebo AME Church in Bowie, Clinton asked several hundred parishioners to think and pray about their choice.

Hillary Clinton will face off Tuesday against Illinois Sen. Obama in primaries in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Asked outside church what he thought of Saturday's results, in which Obama swept contests in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington state and the Virgin Islands, Clinton seemed unfazed.

"I lost Washington state in 1992 also," he said.

At the Maryland church, parishioner Michael Gaddy said Clinton made a good speech, but nevertheless he supports Obama.

"It's not a dilemma for me," Gaddy said. "I think Obama's the better man for the job. If for some reason he doesn't get the nomination, I think we'd all be behind Hillary."