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LOS ANGELES—Republican John McCain on Wednesday called anew for the United States to work more collegially with democratic allies and live up to its duties as a world leader, drawing a sharp contrast to the past eight years under President Bush.

“Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom and knowledge necessary to succeed,” the likely presidential nominee said in a speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. “We need to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies,” McCain added.

Coming days after his trip to the Middle East and Europe, McCain’s speech was intended to signal to leaders abroad—and voters at home—that he would end an era of what critics have called Bush’s cowboy diplomacy. McCain never mentioned Bush’s name, though he evoked former Democratic Presidents Truman and Kennedy.