Romney Tries to Seize Mantle of Change

WASHINGTON (AP) - Now it's Mitt Romney who wants to be the candidate of change.

Romney is seizing on President Barack Obama's comment that "you can't change Washington from the inside." Grasping for a way to right his campaign and appeal to independents, the Republican nominee says he has what it takes to end the nasty partisanship in Washington.

The president's campaign counters by noting that Romney said just that in 2007 when he was running for the 2008 Republican nomination. Romney said then: "I don't think you change Washington from the inside. I think you change it from the outside."

Both candidates are expected in battleground states Friday, with Romney campaigning and raising money in Nevada and Obama holding a rally in Woodbridge, Va., just a short trip from the White House.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Material may not be redistributed.