McCain Focuses On Energy

From CBS News' Clifden Kennedy:

(PHOENIX) Sen. John McCain will focus on energy as he swings through California on Monday. In prepared remarks for delivery at Cal State Fresno, he says that "energy security is the great national challenge of our time."

Promising to meet this challenge with action instead of just words, McCain says he plans to "produce more, conserve more, and invent more." Look for him to also call for the "swift conversion of American vehicles away from oil."

Hoping to inspire ingenuity in the American people, he hopes to offer a $300 million dollar prize (one dollar for every man, woman and child in the U.S.) for "the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars."

*He'll also issue a "Clear Car Challenge" for American automakers —committing a $5,000 tax credit to individuals for each zero emissions car they sell.

McCain also has a town hall meeting and media avail in Fresno. Later in the day he heads to Santa Barbara for a finance event.

*Update: At a press conference in Fresno, California, McCain said that the tax credit would go to individuals, not companies.