"My friends, we have to drill offshore -- we have to do it," Senator McCain, R-Ariz., told a gathering of voters in Rochester, N.H., USA Today reported.

At the town hall-style meeting Tuesday, McCain also blasted likely Democratic presidential opponent Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., saying because Obama opposes lifting a moratorium on offshore drilling, he should change his campaign slogan from "Yes, we can," to "No, we won't," the newspaper said.

At the same time, McCain also promoted fossil fuel alternatives such as nuclear power and batteries to power cars, but said they were no substitutes for increasing domestic oil production.

An Obama spokesman told USA Today the Illinois senator is promoting a $150 billion plan to develop bio-fuels and "clean coal" technology that would "create millions of new jobs, keep the cost of energy affordable and secure our energy independence once and for all."