McCain: Congress should reconvene to deal with energy

Speaking in Montgomery County today, Republican presidential candidate John McCain called on Congress to return from its summer recess to deal with the nation's energy crisis.

And he urged his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, to join him in that call.

On Friday, the House and the Senate, both of which are controlled by the Democrats, adjourned without taking up energy legislation.

"Congress should come back in session, and I'm willing to come off the campaign trail," McCain told reporters at the Lafayette Hill headquarters of the National Label Co.

The visit to National Label was McCain's only stop during a stay in the Philadelphia area that lasted less than four hours. He toured the facility, which makes labels for pharmaceuticals and other consumer products, and held a closed, half-hour roundtable with local business executives.

In his statement on energy, McCain said the only way to address the nation's energy needs was through an "all-of-the-above approach" that uses nuclear power, clean coal technology, and additional offshore oil drilling.

"Anybody who says we can achieve energy independence without using and increasing these existing energy resources either doesn't have the experience to understand the challenge we face or isn't giving the American people some straight talk," McCain said.

Obama has expressed reservations about nuclear power, says he favors increased development of clean coal, and opposes new offshore leases, although he said Friday that he would agree to more drilling as part of a congressional compromise on energy.

McCain criticized Obama's approach to all three energy sources and added, "We're not going to achieve energy independence by inflating our tires."

Last week in Missouri, Obama said that the nation could save all the oil it would add through increased offshore drilling if drivers were "making sure your tires are inflated" and getting tuneups.

Obama's comments have drawn considerable ridicule, particularly in the blogosphere. The McCain campaign is now offering supporters Obama tire gauges in exchange for $25 donations.

An Obama spokesman today drew reporters' attention to a Department of Energy directive that said that driving with proper tire pressure and wheel alignment improves mileage by about 3.3 percent - along with similar statements by NASCAR and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Arizona senator's visit today was his fifth since mid-June to Pennsylvania, a state that McCain has targeted even though it has gone Democratic in the last four presidential elections.

From Philadelphia, McCain flew to South Dakota for an evening rally.