Mitt Romney continued to defend his decision to not release more tax returns in an interview with Businessweek published on Thursday, saying he is "not a business."

The presumptive Republican presidential candidate was asked the oft-repeated question on his tax returns in a slightly different way: If Romney were to invest in a company that touted its management skills and "fiscal know-how," would he not want to see five years' worth of that company's financials?

"I'm not a business," Romney answered. "We have a process in this country, which was established by law, which provides for the transparency which candidates are required to meet. I have met with that requirement with full financial disclosure of all my investments, but in addition have provided and will provide a full two years of tax returns."

"This happens to be exactly the same as with John McCain when he ran for office four years ago," he continued. "And the Obama team had no difficulty with that circumstance. The difference between then and now is that President Obama has a failed economic record and is trying to find any issue he can to deflect from the failure of his record."

The issue of Romney's tax returns has become a central point of the presidential race, with pressure reaching a new high when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said a Bain investor told him Romney didn't pay any taxes for ten years. Reid's comments quickly ignited a firestorm, and since then the Nevada senator has repeatedly tried to keep the issue in the spotlight.

In his interview with Businessweek, the former Massachusetts governor also addressed an infamous photo featuring Romney and his Bain Capital colleagues brandishing chunks of money in 1984, calling it a "moment of humor."

The photo has been a staple in attack ads issued by Romney's opponents, as part of their bid to paint him as a cash-driven corporate raider who is out of touch with the American people.

Romney says of the photo:

"Oh, that was a moment of humor as we had just done what we thought was impossible. We had raised $37 million from other people and institutions who entrusted us with their funds, and we thought it was a miracle that our group had been able to be so successful in fundraising. And ultimately we were able to yield for them a very attractive return by such investments as Staples (SPLS), which was in our very first fund."

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  • Ron Paul

    "Politically, I think that would help him," Paul said in a interview with <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78599.html#ixzz20w7ycTBE" target="_hplink">Politico</a>. "In the scheme of things politically, you know, it looks like releasing tax returns is what the people want."

  • Richard Lugar

    "I have no idea on why he has restricted the number to this point," <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57474352/pressure-mounts-on-mitt-romney-to-release-more-tax-returns/?tag=socsh" target="_hplink">Lugar said</a>.

  • George Will

    "I don't know why... he didn't get all of this out and tidy up some of his offshore accounts and all the rest," Will said on ABC's "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/15/george-will-mitt-romney-bain_n_1674513.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HP%2FPolitics+(Politics+on+The+Huffington+Post)" target="_hplink">This Week</a>." "He's done nothing illegal, nothing unseemly, nothing improper, but lots that's impolitic."

  • Bill Kristol

    "He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy," Kristol said on "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/15/mitt-romney-tax-returns_n_1674325.html" target="_hplink">Fox News Sunday</a>." "You gotta release six, eight, 10 years of back tax returns. Take the hit for a day or two."

  • Robert Bentley

    "I just believe in total transparency," Bentley told <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/gop-governor-calls-on-mitt-romney-to-release-additional-tax-returns-and-show-he-has-nothing-to-hide/" target="_hplink">ABC News</a>. "In fact, I was asked today that question -- do you think that Governor Romney should release his tax returns? And I said I do. I said, I release my tax returns. I may be the only public official in Alabama that does, but I release mine every year and I just believe that people should release their tax returns. And if you get them out and just get past that, it just makes it so much easier."

  • Haley Barbour

    When asked on "<a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/barbour-romney-should-release-more-tax-returns-20120710" target="_hplink">The Situation Room</a>" if Romney should release more returns, Barbour said, "I would. But should it be an issue in the campaign? I don't think it amounts to diddly."

  • Michael Steele

    "If there's nothing there, there's no 'there' there, don't create a there,'" Steele said on MSNBC.

  • David Frum

    "Tax returns the next problem. Releasing returns under pressure: more weakness, more pain," Frum <a href="https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/224509505973661696" target="_hplink">tweeted</a>.