IN THE HEADLINES

AP EXCLUSIVE: Obama ahead or tied in 8 battleground states, GOP worries about landslide ... McCain proposes giving more revenue to coastal states that boost offshore oil production ... Obama takes his case to the country with infomercial, broader TV blitz ... Palin calls for break from Bush energy policies ... Palin faces new ethics complaint ... In a push for early voting in Fla., Biden urges supporters to promote Obama ... Democrats dominate early voting, putting Republicans behind as Election Day approaches

___

AP EXCLUSIVE: Obama ahead or tied in 8 key states

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Barack Obama leads in four states won by President Bush in 2004 and is essentially tied in two other Republican states, according to new AP-GfK battleground polling that suggests most roads to victory are closed to John McCain. Obama could win big.

While no poll can predict next week's results, the AP-GfK surveys explain why Obama is hoping not just for a win but a transcendent victory that remakes the nation's political map. McCain is scrambling to defend states where he wouldn't even be campaigning if the race were closer.

Less than a week before Election Day, the AP-GfK polls show Obama winning among early voters, favored on almost every issue, benefiting from the country's sour mood and widely viewed as the winning candidate by voters in eight crucial states _ Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Story continues below

A look at how the candidates fared among likely voters in these key states:

_COLORADO: Obama 50 percent, McCain 41 percent

_FLORIDA: Obama 45 percent, McCain 43 percent

_NEVADA: Obama 52 percent, McCain 40 percent

_NEW HAMPSHIRE: Obama 55 percent, McCain 37 percent

_NORTH CAROLINA: Obama 48 percent, McCain 46 percent

_OHIO: Obama 48 percent, McCain 41 percent

_PENNSYLVANIA: Obama 52 percent, McCain 40 percent

_VIRGINIA: Obama 49 percent, McCain 42 percent

___

Obama sharpens tone against McCain

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ Barack Obama on Wednesday accused Republican rival John McCain of stooping low by labeling the Democrat a socialist.

"I don't know what's next," Obama said at an outdoor rally. "By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

The rally in North Carolina's capital marked the start of a day when Obama will be a one-man television blitz, saturating prime-time with a 30-minute ad and popping up on late-night TV scene. He is also gave an interview to a prominent network news anchor, and was appearing with former President Clinton at a rally timed to hit the late-evening news.

The centerpiece of the effort is Obama's infomercial. The ad is expected to be a video montage of typical people talking about the challenges they face, with Obama explaining how he can help. A campaign adviser said the taped ad will feature a live cut-in to Obama, who is scheduled to be at a rally in Florida at the time.

The Obama team bought time on CBS, NBC and Fox for about $1 million per network. The spot airs at 8 p.m. EDT. It is also scheduled to run on Univision, BET, MSNBC and TV One.

___

McCain says states deserve more offshore oil money

MIAMI (AP) _ Republican John McCain said he would boost the revenue Florida and other coastal states get from offshore drilling production, which he said would leave the decision on drilling to the states but give them an incentive to increase production.

"We will drill offshore, and we will drill now," McCain told a rally in Miami's Little Havana. "If we're going to drill off the state of Florida, you deserve more of those revenues. They shouldn't be sent to Washington, they should be sent to Tallahassee."

Since dropping his opposition to more offshore rigs this summer, McCain has made increased offshore production a centerpiece of his energy policies, while still leaving the final decision to states. Financial incentives would make them more likely to move. Energy experts note that oil produced by new offshore drilling wouldn't reach consumers for years and would have no short-term affect on gasoline prices, which are already falling.

To highlight his edge in experience over Obama, McCain also sat down with military officers who advise him on national security.

___

Palin calls for break from Bush energy policy

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) _ Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin called Wednesday for a "clean break" from the Bush administration's energy policies, which she says rely too much on importing foreign oil.

In her second policy speech in a week, the Alaska governor said the recent drop in gas and oil prices shouldn't deter consumers and lawmakers from seeking alternative energy sources. She cast energy independence as a national security issue and said dependence on Middle East oil leaves the U.S. more vulnerable to terrorists.

"We not only provide wealth to the sponsors of terror, we provide high-value targets to the terrorists themselves," Palin said. "Across the world are pipelines, refineries, transit routes and terminals for the oil we rely on. And al-Qaida terrorists know where they are."

Despite Palin's attempt to distance McCain's energy policies from those of the Bush administration, McCain's energy plan largely mirrors the priorities President Bush has pushed for eight years, especially more domestic production.

___

Palin faces new ethics complaint

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) _ A new ethics complaint against Sarah Palin accuses the Alaska governor of charging the state when her children traveled with her.

The complaint released Wednesday alleges that the Republican vice presidential nominee used her official position as governor for personal gain.

The Associated Press reported this month that Palin charged the state more than $21,000 for her three daughters' commercial flights since she became governor in December 2006. She later ordered changes to travel forms to specify official business on the trips.

The complaint says Palin charged the travel costs for events her children were not invited to and where they served no legitimate state business.

Earlier this month, a legislative report found Palin violated state ethics laws when she fired her public safety commissioner.

___

Biden urges supporters to go door to door in Fla.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) _ Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden pushed early voting in Florida on Wednesday and urged supporters to come onstage for a training session in how to go door to door for presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"We need some help spreading the faith in the next six days," Biden said.

With polls showing Obama and Republican John McCain even in Florida, the Sunshine State has become even more of a battleground. Florida has 27 electoral votes, more than any other swing state.

The Obama campaign said it's trying to ensure a win by making personal contact with as many voters as possible. With 150,000 active volunteers in the state, South Florida Obama spokesman Bobby Gravitz said that supporters are reaching thousands of voters daily, either door to door or through phone calls.

___

Democrats dominate early voting in key states

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democrats are dominating early voting in six key states President Bush won four years ago, forcing Republican John McCain to play catch-up.

Democrats outnumber Republicans among early voters in Iowa, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, according to statistics from election and party officials in those states. McCain needs to win most of those states to claim the White House this year.

Georgia, another red state, doesn't track early voters by party, but it does by race. About 1.4 million Georgians have already voted and blacks are voting in disproportionate numbers. Black voters overwhelmingly support Democrat Barack Obama.

Voters can always cross party lines and vote totals aren't announced until Election Day. But early indications clearly favor Obama.

___

DAILY TRACK

Democrat Barack Obama has a 9-percentage-point lead over Republican John McCain _ 51 percent to 42 percent _ among registered voters, according to the latest Gallup Poll daily tracking update. Obama's lead on Tuesday was 7 points.

___

THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama campaigns in North Carolina and Florida.

Joe Biden campaigns in Florida.

___

THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain campaigns in Florida.

Sarah Palin campaigns in Ohio and Indiana.

___

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Sounds like it." _ President Bush, responding to a reporter who jokingly asked if he had seen anyone in the West Wing measuring the drapes.

___

STAT OF THE DAY:

President Bush and Democrat John Kerry spent a combined $650 million in the 2004 presidential campaign.

___

Compiled by Ann Sanner.