For a brief moment on Wednesday, US websites reported that a draft version of his transition site was accidentally published on romney.solutionstreamcreative.com, and featured a photograph of the Republican candidate looking into the distance below a logo of the "Office of the President-Elect".

"I'm excited about our prospects as a nation. My priority is putting people back to work in America," Romney was quoted as saying on the homepage, according to screenshots captured by the Political Wire blog.

Another page told readers they could "Join the Administration" while a third explained the presidential inauguration ceremony on January 21 and included images of Romney and Paul Ryan beside the words "The President-Elect" and "The Vice President-Elect".

The software company that designed the site, SolutionStream, told the Huffington Post it had already been turned over to Romney's campaign team and was "all ready to go".

"We were able to throw it together in a day and a half," Jason Thelin said, adding that volunteers working for Romney contacted his company about 10 days before the vote took place.

The Post said the site was taken down shortly after their conversation with Mr Thelin.

Romney had been criticised for his gaffe-filled campaign, which included:

*A secretly recorded speech where he dismissed 47 per cent of the American population as welfare-dependent people who did not pay income tax and who would vote for Obama "no matter what"

*His criticism of the London 2012 Olympics before it was being held, prompting British Prime Minister David Cameron to quip about Romney's handling of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah: "We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it's easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere."

*When asked if he was a NASCAR fan, he said: "Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans, but I have some friends who are NASCAR team owners."

*When asked on television what he defined as the middle class, Romney said: "Middle income is $200,000 to $250,000 and less."

smh.com.au