Romney accuses Obama of leaking secrets

RENO, Nev. -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama Tuesday of trying to gain a political edge in their close campaign by leaking classified information about the U.S. military raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Romney leveled the accusation during an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention, his strongest jab yet at Obama on national security issues.

"This conduct is contemptible. It betrays our national interest. It compromises our men and women in the field," Romney told the assembly of more than 1,000 veterans and advocates. "And it demands a full and prompt investigation by a special counsel, with explanation and consequence."

In detouring from his preferred issue, the economy, Romney was venturing into a realm usually viewed as the incumbent's home turf. Indeed, Obama gets high marks in public polling for his handling of national security issues.

But by alleging that the administration divulged to reporters details of secret missions, Romney was suggesting Obama lacks the discipline the office commands.

White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters traveling with Obama, "The president has made abundantly clear that he has no tolerance for leaks and he thinks leaks are damaging to our national security interests."

Carney noted that two experienced federal prosecutors are investigating the matter.

Obama himself has rejected the notion that his White House was behind the leaks. He called such allegations "offensive" when questioned about them in June.

"People, I think, need to have a better sense of how I approach this office and how the people around me here approach this office," Obama said.

Obama's campaign spokesman, Ben LaBolt, said Romney was resorting to "cheap attacks" on the president "that lack credibility, rather than answering the most basic questions about his foreign policy agenda."

The Democratic leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein, said Monday that the White House appears to be responsible for some leaks of classified information. But the California senator also said she was certain Obama, who receives a daily intelligence briefing, was not disclosing secret information.