Politics | Mitt Romney Mitt's Blasts at 'Broken' Washington Risk GOP Ire Romney distances himself from the president By Peter Fearon Posted Sep 24, 2007 3:55 AM CDT Copied Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney greets supporters after hosting an "Ask Mitt Anything" town hall at Chapman University Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, in Orange, Calif. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas) (Associated Press) White House hopeful Mitt Romney is distancing himself from President Bush in his TV ads and public statements—risking the ire of Republican primary voters who still support the president's most controversial policies. Romney's new theme is that the Republican party has been led off course, reports the Los Angeles Times. "In Washington, somehow we seem broken. Washington is a mess," Romney said during an appearance at Chapman University. Romney strikes a similar note in his latest TV commercial. "It's time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans. It's time for a change," he said. Read These Next Iran's new leader issued a defiant first statement. Country star cancels rest of his tour: 'I am mentally unwell.' One critical island in Iran has remained unscathed in airstrikes. Report finds uninjured cop took an ambulance as a dying man waited. Report an error