Former Gov. Mitt Romney blasted Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's plan for the economy Monday morning, suggesting that it would push the country further into a recession.

"There is no question," Romney said on MSNBC's Morning Joe, "that Barack Obama's economic plans would prolong a recession, make it more difficult for us to come out of a recession, and make life a lot tougher for Americans."

The former governor, a frequent surrogate for Republican presidential nominee John McCain on economic issues, was also asked about Obama's remark about "spreading the wealth around" that the McCain campaign has used in several recent ads.

"There's not going to be a lot of wealth to spread around if Barack Obama's policies get in place," Romney, who was speaking from Cleveland, Ohio, said. "His plans slow down the economy. If you raise taxes on individuals and job creators, if you raise taxes on companies, you're not going to grow this economy. He's simply wrong when it comes to his economic plan and that's wrong for Americans."

Ultimately, Romney said that since the economy is voters' top concern, McCain has to continue to hammer his economic message.

"That's why I think, in the final analysis, that the economic message is what John McCain has to sell," Romney said. "To remind people that you don't just want a smooth talker in the White House, you want someone who is tested and proven."