President Obama says his differences with Mitt Romney are political, not personal.

"I don't really know him well," Obama told the Associated Press in an interview. "I think that the big arguments that I have with Gov. Romney have to do with where we take this country forward."

Obama also beats back news report that he has a personal disdain for his Republican opponent, saying that "I think that's stirred-up Beltway discussions."

In outlining his political disputes with his Republican opponent, Obama cited Medicare, energy and tax policy among other issues.

Romney "is somebody who, for whatever reason, has not offered the kinds of solutions that are going to help America be strong in the future," Obama told AP's Ben Feller. "And that's the kind of debate that the American people ultimately are going to be making a decision about."