President-elect Barack Obama, right, meets with Republican Senator John McCain on Monday at Obama's transition office in downtown Chicago. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)U.S. president-elect Barack Obama said Monday he and Republican Senator John McCain plan to work together to "fix up the country."

The two former rivals, who met in Chicago for the first time since the Nov. 4 election, vowed to work together to reform government and promote bipartisanship in Washington.

"At this defining moment in history, we believe that Americans of all parties want and need their leaders to come together and change the bad habits of Washington so that we can solve the common and urgent challenges of our time," the two said, in a joint statement after their 40-minute, private meeting.

"It is in this spirit that we had a productive conversation today about the need to launch a new era of reform where we take on government waste and bitter partisanship in Washington in order to restore trust in government, and bring back prosperity and opportunity for every hardworking American family," they said. "We hope to work together in the days and months ahead on critical challenges like solving our financial crisis, creating a new energy economy and protecting our nation's security."

Obama, who resigned his seat in the Senate on Sunday, has been meeting with some of his former opponents as he looks for help running the country. On Thursday, he met with Senator Hillary Clinton, who is a possible candidate for secretary of state.

Advisers in Obama's office told the Associated Press that they don't expect McCain will be considered for a job in the new administration. But Obama has said he plans to invite at least one Republican to join his cabinet.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and McCain confidante, and Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a Democrat, also participated in the closed-door meeting.

Obama has already selected Emanuel as his White House chief of staff.

With files from the Associated Press