Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama waves to the crowd following his morning rally outside the Mayfair Dinner in northeast Philadelphia on October 11, 2008. (UPI Photo/John Anderson) | License Photo

Republican Presidential Nominee Sen. John McCain (AZ) participates in the second presidential debate, moderated by journalist Tom Brokaw, at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 7, 2008. (UPI Photo/Frederick Breedon IV) | License Photo

Republican Presidential Nominee Sen. John McCain (AZ) (R) and Democratic Presidential Nominee Sen. Barack Obama (IL) participate in the second presidential debate, moderated by journalist Tom Brokaw, at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 7, 2008. (UPI Photo/Frederick Breedon IV) | License Photo

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain Sunday said he will "whip" Democratic nominee Barack Obama's "you know what" in this week's debate.

McCain was addressing volunteers at his campaign offices in Arlington, Va., when he referred to poll numbers showing him trailing Obama. He told the campaign workers the poll figures should drive them to work harder, MSNBC reported.


"After I whip his you know what in this debate, we're going to be going out 24/7," McCain said.

However, he also cautioned supporters to be respectful, the report said.

"I wanna emphasize again, I respect Senator Obama," McCain said. "We will conduct a respectful race and we will make sure that everybody else does too."

McCain is to campaign Monday in Virginia, which hasn't backed a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Recent polls show Obama has made the state competitive, and Virginia Democratic Sen. James Webb said last week Obama would win the state.

McCain and Obama are to face each other in their third debate Wednesday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.