Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Senator John McCain, accepting his party's presidential nomination, said he was the candidate to change the way Washington does business and vowed to ``restore the principles'' of a Republican Party that has ``lost the trust'' of the American people.

In a speech to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a national television audience, the Arizona senator cast himself as a resolute fighter against waste and corruption, even within his own party.

``I've fought big spenders in both parties who waste your money on things you neither need nor want,'' McCain said. ``And the first big-spending pork-barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it.''

For the lawmakers who seek the special spending projects known as earmarks, McCain said, ``I will make them famous, and you will know their names.''

McCain's speech caps an improbable rise to his party's nomination. Once the front-runner, he was all but written off last year after his campaign was broke and in disarray, causing him to sink in the polls. He now heads into a general-election campaign against Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who also has portrayed himself as an agent of change.

McCain, 72, said he would work to restore public faith in the Republican Party, which lost its majority-status in Congress in the 2006 elections.

``We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us,'' he said. ``We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption.''

Contrast With Obama

Contrasting himself with Obama, an Illinois senator, McCain said he supported the troop surge in Iraq that is credited with slowing violence there, even when it wasn't popular.

``That strategy succeeded and it rescued us from a defeat that would have demoralized our military, risked a wider war and threatened the security of all Americans,'' he said.

McCain also drew contrasts with Obama on taxes, trade policy and government spending.

``I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can,'' he said. ``My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it.''

`Respect' for Obama

McCain was more restrained in his comments about Obama than his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, last night. While contrasting their views, he expressed his ``respect and admiration'' for Obama, who is the first black candidate to win the nomination of a major party.

Obama wasn't silent on McCain's big night. In a recorded interview broadcast tonight on Fox News Channel's ``The O'Reilly Factor'' program, he said the surge of American forces in Iraq has ``succeeded beyond our wildest dreams,'' though Iraqis still haven't done enough to take charge of their country.

Obama and the Democrats have sought to portray McCain and the administration of President George W. Bush as out of touch with the worries of working Americans.

McCain sought to dispel that characterization, saying he would open new markets for American goods and promote community colleges to train workers for new jobs.

``I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy, and it often seems that your government hasn't even noticed,'' he said. ``That's going to change on my watch.''

McCain promised programs to make up part of the difference in wages for workers who have lost jobs in higher paying industries, and take temporary, lower-paid work while they get retraining.

Energy Policy

On energy policy, McCain called for more offshore drilling for oil, building more nuclear-power plants and promoting the use of wind and solar power.

``Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power,'' he said. ``But Americans know better than that. We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and to restore the health of our planet.''

In his remarks, as well as an introductory video that preceded them, McCain's personal history as a Navy pilot who was shot down over Vietnam and endured more than five years of imprisonment and abuse was recounted.

The experience changed him fundamentally, McCain said. ``I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's,'' he said. ``I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's.''

Polls

Two polls released today differed on the state of the presidential race.

A CBS News survey showed the contest tied, with both candidates at 42 percent. A CBS poll taken last weekend had Obama ahead by 8 percentage points.

The daily Gallup tracking poll showed Obama with a 7-point lead, a 1-point increase over the previous day. Obama was supported by 49 percent of those surveyed by Gallup and McCain by 42 percent.

McCain's acceptance speech follows yesterday's prime-time address by Palin, who energized the crowd with attacks on Democrats and the ``Washington elite.''

Palin's national debut drew 37.2 million viewers, just shy of the 38.4 million people who watched Obama's acceptance speech in Denver a week ago. At the convention today, she became the party's vice presidential nominee by acclamation.

McCain praised Palin as a worthy partner in the business of overhauling the federal government.

``She knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for,'' McCain said. ``She stands up for what's right and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down.''

If elected, McCain would be the oldest first-term president to assume office. McCain, like his supporters have done all week, sought to quell concerns about the readiness of Palin, 44, a first-term governor, to serve as his vice president.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ken Fireman in St. Paul, Minnesota at kfireman1@bloomberg.netCatherine Dodge in St. Paul at cdodge1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 4, 2008 23:57 EDT