Romney: Shutting down government likely to hurt Republicans

BOSTON, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Former Republican U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he does not believe shutting down the federal government is an effective tactic.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Romney said trying to delay implementation of the affordable healthcare reform law and to win a majority in the Senate next year would be better for the party. He spoke to CNN Friday in Boston.

"The tactic of using a government shutdown to try and push that will be counterproductive politically, that it's going to end up hurting our party, and it could well -- it could be inconvenience, and hurt some individuals as well, and checks are late, and so forth," Romney said.

While President Obama has said the healthcare law Romney adopted as governor of Massachusetts was a model for the Affordable Care Act, Romney insisted the two are very different. He also said each state should be free to come up with its own plan.

Romney said there is "political dysfunction" in Washington with leadership needed to "break through" it. He suggested the president carries much of the blame.

"And unfortunately, we haven't seen the kind of leadership in the White House," Romney said. "The president spends his time attacking the opposition party."