"We need to drill now and drill immediately," said McCain.
Both candidates used to be against tapping the oil off American shores calling it a non-solution that's too little too late. But with gasoline up over four dollars a gallon, last week Obama followed McCain's lead. "If we've got a plan on the table that I think meets the goals that America has to set and there are some things in there that I don't like, then obviously that's something that you know I would consider."
"I'm not surprised that he's hedging on this issue, but the fact is he still opposes offshore drilling," countered McCain.
"The best way to determine whether another candidates' issue is selling is whether the opposing candidate suddenly adopts it at least in part. And that's exactly what Obama has done here," said Larry Sabato, Director of University of Virginia Center for Politics.
While Democratic leaders were booed Friday when the house adjourned for a five-week recess without passing an energy bill, that doesn't mean they're endorsing Obama's plan.
"What our colleagues are talking about is something that won't have an effect for 10 years and it will be 2 cents at the time," said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D).
Republicans hope McCain's switch on off-shore drilling will garner favor with voters in this election year where polls show Democrats are poised to make some major gains.
