2 p.m. UPDATE

SOUTH PORTLAND - John McCain's bus, the so-called "Straight Talk Express", pulled up outside the Maine Military Museum to the sounds of Van Halen's "Right Now."

1:50 UPDATE

SOUTH PORTLAND - Hundreds of people are gathered outside the Maine Military Museum on Broadway awaiting the arrival of presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

McCain is due to arrive at the museum in a few minutes to attend a rally followed by a private tour of the building.

1:45 UPDATE

KENNEBUNKPORT - Protestors booed and supporters cheered as John McCain attended a fundraiser at the Nonantum Resort.

The demonstration began around 10:30 a.m. when the group of about 30 protestors marched downtown and out Ocean Avenue toward the Nonantum.

They marched back in forth in front of the resort as McCain supporters boarded trolley buses to the Bush family compound at Walker's Point.

The demonstration broke up after McCain's caravan left the the Nonantum. Police said there were no problems.

11:45 UPDATE

KENNEBUNKPORT -- The summer home of former President George H. W. Bush is packed with buses, passenger vans, trolleys and Secret Service sport utility vehicles as the family hosts a fund-raising reception for GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

But McCain may be taking a watery route to The Nonantum Resort to meet with donors later today.

Staff members at the compound say that if weather permits, Bush plans to ferry McCain over to the resort on board the Fidelity, the speedboat the former president uses for fishing and pleasure cruises with visiting dignitaries.

About two dozen donors arrived here earlier this morning to meet with the Bush family at a private reception, where tickets were priced at $2,300 apiece.

After the reception, prominent Maine Republicans began to trickle in, including Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, as well as Charlie Summers, who is running against Democrat Chellie Pingree for the 1st Congressional District seat.

McCain said this is his first visit to Walker's Point, although he has been a frequent visitor to Maine campaigning for other Republicans.

11 a.m. UPDATE

Maine Democrats held a press conference this morning at a Portland home to discuss the energy policies of presidential hopefuls Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill. and John McCain, R-Ariz.

The conference was held as McCain travelled from Portland to Kennebunkport on a day of visits in Maine. It took place at the Prospect Street home of Lewis and C.C. Robinson, who spoke to the media about the recent investment in a pellet stove they made to help cut their home heating bills.

"What families are facing in Maine this winter is really scary," said C.C. Robinson, holding the couple's 3-month-old daughter, Maisie.

She said Obama's record of supporting funding for a federal program that provides heating oil assistance to needy families appealed to her. McCain voted against efforts to increase funding for the program six times over the past three years.

"You look at this record, and I'll tell you, he has no plan," said Maine House Speaker Glenn Cummings, standing with the Robinsons. "Clearly, his policies are out of touch with Mainers."

Lewis Robinson, an author, and C.C. Robinson, a teacher, said their pellet stove was installed in February, and they were able to adequately heat their early-1900s home. They had moved into the house last year, and were shocked at the high cost of heating with oil, they said. Heating with pellets cost them about a third of the expense of oil, said Lewis Robinson.

10:45 UPDATE

Sen John McCain renewed his call for energy independence in a campaign visit to Maine today and said he would support various tax credits to help Americans cope with skyrocketing costs for home heating oil and gasoline.

"We're going to have to do whatever is necessary to keep people warm," said McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.

The Arizona senator spoke as he met with reporters on board the Straight Talk Express, his campaign bus, as it carried him from the Sable Oaks Marriot hotel in South Portland to Kennebunkport.

McCain was on his way to a fund-raising reception with former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara at the Bush family's summer home at Walker Point.

McCain is scheduled to appear at a picnic this afternoon at the Maine Military Museum in South Portland.

During the half-hour bus ride to Kennebunkport, McCain touched on a wide range of topics, including the war in Iraq, energy policy, health care and his campaign style.

He said he was looking forward to debating his Democratic opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is expected to capture his party's nomination.