"Fight with me!" McCain inspires supporters.

John McCain sounded a warning to Washington on Thursday evening that “change is coming,” in his speech accepting the Republican Presidential Nomination. His speech stressed his military service as well as his maverick reputation. He called for an end to the “constant partisan rancour” he says has crippled the federal government and closed out the Republican National Convention by urging voters to “fight with me” and usher in a new age of American leadership.

McCain thanked President Bush “for leading us in these dark days following the worst attack in American history.” He also had words of thanks for First Lady Laura Bush, his own wife Cindy, his seven children and all those that helped and supported him in his campaign adding: “I won’t let you down.”

McCain outlined policy differences on issues like taxes and energy exploration between him and Obama casting his rival as a big-government liberal, but generally steered clear of the attacks that punctuated his running mate's speech the previous night. McCain actually began his address on a conciliatory note, congratulating Obama, the first black presidential nominee of a major party, for his historic accomplishment. “We’ll go at it over the next two months. You know that’s the nature of this business, and there are big differences between us,” he said. “But you have my respect and admiration. Despite our differences, much more unites us than divides us. But let there be no doubt, my friends: We’re going to win this election.”

McCain also touted his own experience at fighting corruption, “and it didn’t matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust, and they had to be held accountable.”

He did not attempt to match the stagecraft and magnitude of Obama’s historic acceptance address a week ago to a stadium of 85,000 people. He did, however, have the stage at the St. Paul Xcel Energy Center rebuilt with a plank that allowed him to step into the delegate audience to deliver his speech — keeping in line with his preferred “town hall” style of forum.

McCain's video introduction highlighted his years in captivity in Vietnam. He invoked those years on stage, “I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. But he warned of the dangers that threaten it: “We face many dangerous threats in this dangerous world, but I’m not afraid of them. I’m prepared for them. I know how the military works, what it can do, what it can do better, and what it shouldn’t do. I know how the world works. I know the good and the evil in it.”

He finished his speech by urging Americans to better themselves, and in doing so, better the country. “Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier, because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself. With hard work — with hard word, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach.”

Election Day is Nov. 4 but there'll be a lot of events before that. The next major one is the first presidential debate on September 26th.

Source: FoxNews