NBC NEWS- In St. Paul Thursday night, John McCain accepted the Republican nomination for president of the United States. Now McCain and running mate Sarah Palin will hope for the usual post-convention bump up in the polls.

John McCain got a roaring reception. While Sarah Palin captured the imagination of social conservatives, McCain presented himself as independent-minded reformer.

The first post-convention campaign stop for the GOP ticket was Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with John McCain wasting no time after taking the helm of the GOP with confidence.

Sen. McCain said "let there be no doubt, my friends, we're going to win this election."

McCain embraced the party even as he rebuked the status quo.

"Change is coming," he said.

It was a public divorce from eight years of George W. Bush, who played a small part at this convention.

Protesters outside didn't buy it. They blame Bush and McCain for the Iraq war.

McCain acknowledged deep voter discontent as he played up his record.

"I've fought big spenders in both parties, who waste your money on things you neither need nor want and the first big spending pork barrel earmarked bill that comes across my desk I will veto it. I will make them famous and you will know their names," McCain said.

Barack Obama said Republicans fell short this week on solutions.

Sen. Obama said "not a word about how we're going to make college more affordable, how we're going to create more jobs here in the United States, not a word about how to increase people's incomes."

And he signaled Sarah Palin faces tough questions ahead.

Sen. Obama said "I've been through 19 months. She's been through it what--4 days so far?"

McCain ended the night asking delegates to fight and stand up.

Two tickets have been sealed in two weeks with two months until voters choose.

These conventions have teed up an intense fall campaign: eight weeks of rallies, debates and ads. McCain and Palin are spending Friday in Wisconsin and Michigan. Obama and Biden are in Pennsylvania. The fight for swing states is on.