By Steve Holland
ST. PAUL (Reuters) - Republican John McCain promisedAmericans on Thursday that "change is coming" to Washington ifhe is elected president on November 4 and he pledged toovercome partisan rancour by working with Democrats.
McCain's campaign released excerpts of his speech acceptinghis party's nomination for president. He was to deliver thespeech at about 10:30 p.m. EDT (3:30 a.m. British time Friday).
In a year in which Americans are thirsting for change,McCain sought to co-opt the message of change offered by hisDemocratic opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
"Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending,do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: changeis coming," McCain said.
McCain was trying to reclaim his image as a Republicanmaverick in the speech, as Democrats charge he is littledifferent from unpopular President George W. Bush.
The Arizona senator was taking the podium at the XcelEnergy Centre in the Minnesota state capital a day after hisvice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin,electrified Republicans with a fiery speech criticizingDemocratic opponents Obama and Joe Biden.
McCain bemoaned "the constant partisan rancour that stopsus from solving" America's problems and said he has a record ofreaching across the party aisle, unlike Obama.
"Again and again, I've worked with members of both partiesto fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will governas president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me getthis country moving again. I have that record and the scars toprove it. Senator Obama does not," he said.
McCain also talked about his defining experience, the 5 1/2years he spent as a Vietnam prisoner of war, a period in whichhe said he realized how special his own country was.
"I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, acause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn'tmy own man anymore. I was my country's," he said.
For McCain, 72, it is the pinnacle of his career. Longconsidered by many a maverick in his party and distrusted bysome in the conservative base, he will receive the long-soughtnomination to be his party's candidate for the White House.
He had a tough act to follow.
More than 37 million viewers tuned in to watch the speechby political newcomer Palin, just shy of the record set lastFriday by Obama, whose nomination acceptance address in Denverwas seen by 38.4 million, Nielsen Media Research reported.
OBAMA FIGHTS BACK
Obama, speaking to reporters, shot back at Palin for sayingthat being mayor of tiny Wasilla, Alaska, was a little likeObama's service as a community organizer in Chicago, exceptthat "you have actual responsibilities" as mayor.
"They think that the lives of those folks who arestruggling each and every day, that working with them to try toimprove their lives is somehow not relevant to the presidency?"Obama said.
"I think maybe that's the problem. That's part of whythey're out of touch and they don't get it because they haven'tspent much time working on behalf of those folks," he toldreporters in York, Pennsylvania.
Palin was at it again at a luncheon of U.S. Republicanstate governors, saying governors have to make decisions and"we don't have a 'present' button as governor."
That was a knock on Obama's history of voting "present"instead of yes or no on many pieces of legislation in the U.S.Senate.
A CBS News poll conducted from Monday through Wednesday ofthis week had the race tied at 42 percent between Obama andMcCain. A Gallup Daily tracking poll had Obama up 49 percent to43 percent for McCain.
(Additional reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Jeff Mason andCharles Abbott, editing by Jackie Frank)
