IN THE HEADLINES

Obama taunts McCain for criticizing him over tire pressure ... McCain says as president he would push Congress on energy issues, but he missed votes himself ... McCain, like Obama, will run TV ads during the Olympics ... Poll: Nearly half say they're hearing too much about Obama ... McCain gives Marshall football players pep talk on teamwork ... St. Paul police get $50 million federal grant to prepare for GOP convention

___

Obama pokes at McCain over tire-pressure issue

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) _ Barack Obama taunted Republican presidential rival John McCain on Wednesday for first ridiculing him for advising voters to keep tires inflated and then later acknowledging that the practice saves gasoline.

"It will be interesting to watch this debate between John McCain and John McCain," Obama said as he campaigned in Indiana with Sen. Evan Bayh, widely considered a top-tier candidate for running mate.

Discussing the air-pressure issue during an appearance Tuesday night, McCain said he wasn't opposed to Obama's suggestion. "And could I mention that Senator Obama a couple of days ago said that we ought to all inflate our tires, and I don't disagree with that. The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it, but I also don't think that that's a way to become energy independent."

Obama had noted that keeping tires inflated and cars tuned was endorsed by both NASCAR and AAA and should be part of any comprehensive plan to reduce reliance on imported oil.

In mocking Obama, McCain told a motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.: "My opponent doesn't want to drill, he doesn't want nuclear power, he wants you to inflate your tires."

On Wednesday, McCain criticized Obama for not fully embracing nuclear power as part of a comprehensive energy solution. "He's out of touch," McCain said while campaigning in Ohio.

Obama campaigned in Indiana as his campaign released a new television ad that seeks to link McCain to President Bush and questions whether McCain is the political maverick he claims to be.

___

McCain says he'd push Congress to vote on energy

JACKSON, Ohio (AP) _ Republican John McCain on Wednesday called on Congress to return from its summer recess to address immediately the U.S. energy crisis, though he missed numerous energy-related votes in the Senate last year.

McCain, campaigning on energy and economic issues in southern Ohio, said that as president he would tell members of Congress "not to leave town, not to take their vacation or pay raise" until they passed legislation to ease the burden of high energy prices on consumers.

The idea of forcing Congress to deal with energy issues could open the Arizona senator to charges of hypocrisy. The liberal-leaning League of Conservation Voters gave McCain a "zero" rating for 2007, saying he had missed all 11 votes related to such critical energy topics as automobile fuel economy, offshore Virginia drilling, refinery construction, renewable electricity mandates, energy efficiency, liquefied coal, support for biofuels.

Last weekend, the House and the Senate adjourned amid calls from House Republicans for a vote on an energy bill that would expand more domestic oil drilling. In the Senate, a debate was pending on a proposal by a bipartisan group of 10 to boost taxes on oil companies while allowing a limited expansion of oil drilling off the coast of Southern states.

Both McCain and Democratic rival Barack Obama have signaled an openness to such a compromise, but they say they need to review details of the proposal.

McCain's campaign on Wednesday released a new TV ad questions whether Obama is ready to help American families. It goes on to criticize Obama as promoting higher taxes and more government spending, both leading to fewer jobs.

___

McCain, too, will run Olympics ads

WASHINGTON (AP) _ John McCain won't cede the pricey Olympics airwaves to Barack Obama.

McCain plans to run $6 million worth of TV commercials on NBC broadcast and cable channels during the Summer Games in Beijing. He committed the money just a few days before Friday's opening ceremonies and a few weeks after his Democratic rival's campaign signaled its intention to spend some $5 million on ads.

Republican and Democratic officials with knowledge of the purchases confirmed the advertising plans that were first reported by the Web site of Advertising Age, a magazine that covers the industry.

___

Poll: Nearly half hearing too much about Obama

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Barack Obama may be the fresh face in this year's presidential election, but nearly half say they're already tired of hearing about him, a poll says.

With Election Day still three months away, 48 percent said they're hearing too much about the Democratic candidate, according to a poll released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. Just 26 percent said the same about his Republican rival, John McCain.

According to an ongoing Pew study, Obama has appeared in more news stories this year and more people say they have heard more about him than McCain, the longtime Arizona senator who also ran for president in 2000.

Two-thirds of Republicans and about half of independents said they've heard too much about Obama, as did a third of Democrats, a significant number.

At the same time, nearly four in 10 said they've been hearing too little about McCain _ about four times the number who said so about Obama.

___

McCain gives Marshall players pep talk on teamwork

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) _ Republican John McCain visited Wednesday with Marshall University's football team and gave them an on-field pep talk about the importance of teamwork.

The White House hopeful told the players about how teamwork helped him survive his five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

McCain also touched on the 1970 plane crash the killed most of Marshall's football team. The Arizona senator praised the university for its courage and greatness.

His visit was closed to the public, but several people were gathered outside the practice field to protest high gas prices and what they say is McCain's close relationship with the oil industry.

McCain made the brief stop before heading to Ohio.

___

Grant will help pay for security at RNC

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ The federal government is giving St. Paul police $50 million to help pay for everything from new bikes to powerful radios to extra staff and training time ahead of the Republican National Convention.

The convention is expected to bring 45,000 visitors and perhaps tens of thousands of protesters to the Twin Cities Sept. 1-4. Police officers will have to handle the crowds along with protecting dignitaries. They'll also need to be ready in case anything unexpected arises.

The biggest chunk of the Department of Justice grant _ $34 million _ will go toward contracts associated with the event itself, such as cell phones, vehicle rentals, training and hiring police officers from other cities to help.

The grant also includes nearly $10 million for equipment and supplies, including a new $560,000 mobile command vehicle and a fleet of new bikes.

___

DAILY TRACK

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are running about even nationally _ Obama's at 46 percent and McCain's at 44 percent _ among registered voters in the presidential race, according to the latest Gallup Poll daily tracking update.

___

THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama talked to voters about energy at a town-hall meeting in Elkhart, Ind.

___

THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain stopped by the Marshall University football practice in Huntington, W.Va., and campaigned in Ohio.

___

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Is the biggest celebrity in the world ready to help your family?" _ An announcer in Republican John McCain's new TV ad, which criticizes rival Barack Obama.

___

STAT OF THE DAY:

About 135,000 Wisconsin residents have registered to vote for the first time since the beginning of this year, bringing the total number of voters there to more than 3.4 million, according to the state's Government Accountability Board. Another 169,000 have updated their registration with their current address or new name.

___

Compiled by Ann Sanner.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.