John McCain accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president Thursday night by pledging to transcend the "partisan rancor" and bring reform to Washington.

"Let me just offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first-country-second crowd: Change is coming," the Arizona senator said at the gathering in St. Paul (Watch above).

"I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party," he added. "We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us... The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn’t a cause, it's a symptom."

Introduced by wife Cindy, McCain's speech came a day after Sarah Palin's well-received address accepting the party's vice presidential nomination.

"I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country," he said of Palin (whose speech was watched by 37.2 million viewers). "But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington."

McCain also promised to work across the aisle - and took a swipe at Barack Obama.

"I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again," he said. "I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not."

In another shot at Obama, McCain explained that he is "not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need."

The speech, which highlighted McCain's time as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, concluded with a call to action.

"Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight," McCain declared amid loud applause. "Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history."

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