WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Gov. Mitt Romney pledged a thorough review of the federal government at the Conservative Political Action Conference in a speech Friday that stressed the Massachusetts Republican's record as governor in a liberal state.

"If elected president I will personally -- personally -- lead a top-to-bottom review of government programs, agencies, and procurement and spending," Romney said. "It is time to cut out the mountains of waste and inefficiencies and duplication in the federal government."

"I've done that in business. I've done it in the Olympics. I've done it in Massachusetts, and frankly I can't wait to get my hands on Washington," he added.

Romney also criticized certain judges while taking an indirect dig at one of his opponents for the GOP nomination, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

"Time and again, judges add things that aren't in the Constitution and they take away things that are in the Constitution," he said. "And in that regard, they let the campaign finance lobby take away First Amendment rights. If I'm elected president, I will fight to repeal McCain-Feingold."

McCain's campaign finance legislation, which banned so-called "soft money," became law in 2002.