Obama and the DNC Target Hispanics in Swing States

This time, there was no hurricane to stop them. John and Cindy McCain visited the Red Ribbon Ranch oil field in Bakersfield, Calif., before a fundraiser at a nearby country club. (By Mary Altaffer -- Associated Press)

"It's an important distinction," Fernandez said. But "we're confident we can do very well among the Latino community," she said.

-- Shailagh Murray

A STOP IN BAKERSFIELD

McCain Visits Oil Field

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- John McCain dramatized his support for offshore oil drilling Monday by inspecting oil pumps in a brown, dusty field here far from the ocean.

Last week, Hurricane Dolly thwarted McCain in his efforts to visit an oil rig off the Louisiana coast. The chief attribute of the Red Ribbon Ranch oil field, where the senator met with representatives of California oil producers, appeared to be its proximity to the Seven Oaks Country Club, where he held a lunchtime fundraiser.

McCain and his wife, Cindy, looked at oil pumps that produce about 1,100 barrels a day, and he again criticized Obama as a "Dr. No" for opposing McCain's agenda of offshore drilling, expansion of nuclear power and a suspension of the federal gasoline tax to help combat the nation's energy woes.

Disputing assertions that any benefits from offshore drilling would be years in the making, McCain said that producers have told him "there are some instances within a matter of months they could be getting" oil. "In some cases, it would be a matter of a year, some cases it would take longer than that, depending on the location and whether you use existing rigs or have to install new rigs," he added.

"Offshore drilling is something we have to do. I'm sorry Senator Obama opposes it," McCain said. "He is the Dr. No of America's energy future."

The Obama campaign had responded before McCain's motorcade reached the country club.

"By handing out $4 billion in tax breaks to the biggest oil companies and proposing gimmicks like offshore drilling that won't produce a drop of oil for seven years, Senator McCain's energy plan fails to provide short-term relief to consumers or long-term independence from foreign oil," said campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan.