Mitt Romney (Campaign photo)

LONDON (July 25, 2012)--Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was distancing himself Wednesday from a comment from an unnamed adviser who was quoted in British media as suggesting that President Barack Obama doesn't understand the "Anglo-Saxon" heritage shared by Britain and the U.S.

Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said Wednesday that if an adviser did say that, the adviser wasn't reflecting Romney's views.

Vice President Joe Biden and top Obama strategist David Axelrod criticized Romney over the comments, which were reported in the Daily Telegraph.

The London newspaper quoted an unnamed adviser saying that Romney believes the U.S. relationship with Britain is special because of shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage" and that the White House doesn't appreciate that shared history.

Biden says the comments are a "disturbing" start to Romney's overseas trip.

Romney faces high stakes in his visits to England, Israel and Poland in a trip that amounts to an international audition.

The weeklong trip will invite comparisons to Barack Obama's successful pre-election overseas 2008 tour.

Romney hopes to prove that he is no novice on foreign policy, but the tour comes with a risk because he’s likely to be pressed for details about his views on critical foreign issues.

Romney is in England until Saturday, when he travels to Israel and then on to Poland.