Obama: Republicans take pride in being ignorant

Watch Obama speak out against McCain and the Republican party.

BEREA, Ohio (CNN) – For almost a week, John McCain and his campaign have been mocking Barack Obama’s comments to a voter last week in Missouri when he told her to one way to conserve energy is “making sure your tires are properly inflated.”

On Monday a top McCain advisor passed around tire gauges labeled “Obama’s Energy Plan” to reporters on the Arizona senator’s campaign plane - and the Republican National Committee says more are waiting for the Obama traveling press corps at Tuesday night’s hotel.

Obama shot back at a town hall in Ohio Tuesday afternoon, accusing them of lying about his energy plan and ignoring what experts say would reduce gas consumption between 3 and 4 percent.

“It's like these guys take pride in being ignorant,” Obama told a packed gym. “They think it’s funny that they're making fun of something that is actually true. They need to do their homework.”

“Instead of running ads about Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, they should go talk to some energy experts and actually make a difference,” Obama added.

Both the RNC and McCain’s campaign responded by urging Obama to call for Congress to return from summer recess for a special session to pass an energy package.

“Rather than demanding Americans inflate their tires, Obama should be demanding Congress return to DC to vote on a real energy plan. Obama is wrong: Inflated tires are no substitute for oil drilling and a comprehensive energy plan,” said RNC spokesman Alex Conant.

The race took a sharp turn for the negative last week, as McCain released the ‘Celeb’ ad aimed at Obama, who said the presumptive Republican nominee would try to make him look scary by saying the Illinois senator doesn’t “look like all the presidents on the dollar bills.”

“Our politics has gotten so nasty,” said Obama in Berea. “But not just nasty, also cynical and manipulative, right? Where we say things that we don’t mean.”

“I’m happy to have a battle of words because I’ve got facts on my side. I’ve got truth on my side. I fear no man when I’ve got truth on my side,” he added.