Obama Backs Quickly Away from Anti-Romney Steelworker Ad

Says he does not believe Romney is responsible for laid-off steelworker's wife's death.

President Barack Obama tried Monday to distance himself from an advertisement run by a supportive outside group suggesting there was a link between the death of a laid-off steelworker's wife and Republican Mitt Romney's former company. But Obama said he intends to keep raising sharp contrasts between himself and the GOP challenger.

"I don't think that Governor Romney was somehow responsible for the death," he said. Obama noted that the commercial "is an ad I did not approve" since it did not come from his campaign and that he had nothing to do with producing it. Furthermore, Obama said the ad "ran only once I think."