Romney says Obama visit to Colorado was the ‘right thing’ to do

Presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney praised President Obama's decision to visit Aurora, Colo., and meet with victims of a mass shooting as "the right thing" to do.

Romney, who returned to the campaign trail after a two-day hiatus, made the remarks to donors at an event at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on Sunday night, according to media reports.

In his remarks, Romney said he would avoid attacks on the president, "keeping with the seriousness of the day," according to reports.

"Our hearts are with the many people who've lost loved ones in Colorado," Romney said. 

The late-night shooting at a crowded movie theater last week left 12 dead, wounded dozens and forced both presidential candidates off the campaign trail as the nation struggled to deal with one of the worst mass killings in its history.

Obama traveled to Aurora on Sunday to meet with victims, telling them that the entire nation had them in their thoughts and prayers.

"My main task was to serve as a representative of the entire country and let them know that we are thinking about them at this moment," Obama said after speaking with survivors and families of the slain victims at the University of Colorado Hospital at Aurora.

The president will return to the campaign trail Monday with an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno, Nev., and with a fundraiser in Oakland, Calif.

At his event in San Francisco, Romney eased back into his campaign, returning focus to voters' key issue: the weak economy. 

"These are tough times and even people working are having real tough times trying to make ends meet," Romney said. 

Romney said his experience in the business world and as former Massachusetts governor compelled him to run for office even though times were tough, because "I think I can fix it."

Romney pledged to "take advantage of our energy resources" and said he would press to increase foreign trade, which "puts more Americans to work."

Before the shootings, Democrats had launched a fierce attack on Romney’s record at private equity firm Bain Capital, suggesting he personally profited from the outsourcing of American jobs and questioning his use of offshore holdings.

Romney has said that he helped turn around struggling American companies while at Bain and has rejected calls for him to release additional tax returns, calling it an attempt to distract voters from the president’s own economic record.

Romney is scheduled to attend a fundraiser in Irvine, Calif., today.

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