Washington: Republican presidential candidate John McCain is launching a new television advertisement that blames Democratic rival Barack Obama for the rising gasoline prices.

The ad argues that the cost of fuel is rising because of opposition to oil drilling in the US. The announcer in the ad says, "Gas prices — $4 (Rs 170), $5 (Rs 213), no end in sight, because some in Washington are still saying no to drilling in America. No to indepen-dence from foreign oil. Who can you thank for rising prices at the pump?" A photograph of Obama appears on the stage as a voiceover of a crowd chants: "Obama, Obama, Obama!"