McCain in Riverside, CA today!

Editors Note: I am not endorsing either Candidate.

RIVERSIDE, CA — Senator McCain ripped Senator Obama’s energy plan as “business as usual” at a press conference where he took aim at his Democratic rival on a number of fronts Tuesday afternoon.

“Senator Obama has said basically no to…a majority of the proposals that have been made, not just by me, but others,” McCain told reporters in Riverside. “Americans are hurting very badly. They expect us to propose a plan of action. He is basically saying the status quo and business as usual. I don’t think the American people are looking for that kind of leadership.”

During the last couple days, McCain has been mainly stressing his proposals on the campaign trail and laid off his rival while Obama has trashed his proposals as “gimmicks.” But today the presumptive GOP nominee went back on offense.

“On this energy issue, yeah, it’s easy to say no to everything-that’s what Senator Obama is doing. We have got to come forward with bold proposals, innovative ones,” McCain said, also attacking Obama on who is the true bipartisan reformer.

“Senator Obama…talks about it and has done almost nothing,” McCain said. “I have a long record of putting my country first, of putting my country before not only my party but before myself. Senator Obama does not have that record. He has talked the talk but has not walked the walk.”

UPDATE–OBAMA CAMPAIGN RESPONSE:

“During the decades he’s spent in Washington, John McCain has said no to investments in alternative energy and no to higher fuel standards time and time again. In this campaign, instead of offering a bold, long-term strategy to end our dependence on oil, he’s proposing $4 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and more of the same Washington gimmicks that even he admits will only provide ‘psychological’ relief to Americans struggling with high gas prices. Barack Obama believes the American people need real relief, which is why he’s proposing a second stimulus rebate check and a $1,000 tax cut for 95% of all working families. He’ll also help our automakers raise their fuel standards and invest $150 billion in the alternative sources of energy that will create up to five million new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced,” said Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan.