VIDEO: Former Bain Capital executive defends Romney's CEO record

The Takeaway

A former managing director at Bain Capital, the private equity firm founded by Mitt Romney, says the controversy over Romney's history at the company overshadows more important presidential campaign issues.

"I do think that this is a tactic to divert from what's important in the election," said Edward Conard, Romney's former partner. "I think the underlying story here is not nearly as interesting as everybody wants to make it out to be."

Romeny and his supporters have voiced similar concerns about the growing outrage over his tenure at Bain Capital. Romney, the likely Republican presidential nominee, gave five television interviews Friday in which he demanded an apology from President Barack Obama for his relentless attacks on his business record.

But the Obama campaign has showed no signs of letting up. One of its most recent ads jabs Romney for shipping American jobs overseas and hiding his personal wealth in offshore bank accounts.

"Mitt Romney’s not the solution. He's the problem," the ad says to a soundtrack of Romney singing "America the Beautiful." 

Obama's New Ad Hits Romney on Outsourcing Jobs
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