( CNN ) -- Sens . Hillary Clinton and John McCain are pushing for a gas-tax holiday , but Sen. Barack Obama says the plan is a quick fix that would do more harm than good . Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigns this week in Wilmington , North Carolina . Gov . Mike Easley has endorsed her . McCain , the presumptive Republican nominee , was the first to propose a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax . His plan would lift the 18.4 cents per gallon tax during peak summer travel months . It also would suspend the 24.4 cent diesel tax . Clinton , who rejected a similar idea in 2000 , said her plan is different from McCain 's . She said the Republican 's proposal would cost the government up to $ 10 billion -- money that is used to improve roads . The senator from New York said she 'd make up for the lost revenue with a `` windfall profits tax '' on oil companies , meaning their profits over a certain amount would be subject to a 50 percent tax . Her plan also would close $ 7.5 billion in oil and gas loopholes as well as monitor prices for manipulation . Watch how candidates plan to deal with soaring gas prices » . Obama does not support a suspension of the gas tax , which he described as a political scheme that would save the average driver $ 25 to $ 28 . `` It 's typical of how Washington works -- let 's find some short-term , quick fix , even though we 're not really doing anything , '' he said . Watch an analysis of how the candidates ' plans differ » . Instead , Obama would use a windfall profits tax on oil companies to help low-income families pay their energy bills . He also insists he would put forth more effort than others to limit oil companies ' influence in Washington . Analysts and Obama said the proposal to suspend the tax temporarily would do little to stimulate the economy or lower gas prices and could leave roads in disrepair . `` It 's a quick fix for people who believe cheap gas is their birthright , '' said Tom Kloza , chief oil analyst at the research firm Oil Price Information Service . `` It 's not a prudent thing to do . '' Kloza said the amount of money motorists would save would do little to stimulate economic growth . The revenue from the gas tax is much needed for road repairs , he added . `` Look , somewhere down the road you have to use less , '' Kloza said . `` As painful as it might be , higher prices do sway behavior toward a more energy disciplined America . '' Obama is using the issue to liken Clinton to McCain , while she is trying to paint Obama as out of touch with working-class voters -- a group that will play a big role in the upcoming Indiana primary . Indiana and North Carolina both hold their primaries next Tuesday . Obama leads Clinton in the overall delegate count , 1,725 to 1,588 . Clinton has a slight edge in superdelegates , leading Obama 256 to 234 . Since neither candidate can capture the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the nomination with wins in the remaining contests , the party 's superdelegates probably will decide who gets the Democratic nod . Superdelegates are party leaders and officials who vote at the August convention for the candidate of their choice . North Carolina Gov . Mike Easley , a superdelegate , endorsed Clinton on Tuesday . Recent polling suggests Obama holds a double-digit lead over the former first lady in that state , though no surveys have been released since Clinton 's win in Pennsylvania last week . After attending a rally with Easley in Raleigh , Clinton is scheduled to head to Indiana for events in Indianapolis , Hobart and Princeton . Obama also is in North Carolina , where he has town hall-style meetings scheduled Tuesday in Winston-Salem and Hickory . McCain continues his weeklong health care tour , with a speech Tuesday in Tampa , Florida . McCain opposes federally mandated universal coverage . Clinton wants mandated health insurance coverage for all Americans , while Obama backs a plan that would mandate coverage for children but not adults . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux and Jessica Yellin and CNNMoney.com 's Steve Hargreaves contributed to this report .
Sens . Hillary Clinton and John McCain back federal gas-tax holiday . Sen. Barack Obama says plan would do more harm than good . North Carolina Gov . Mike Easley endorses Clinton . McCain in Florida as part of weeklong health care tour .