Texas Gov. Rick Perry is denying charges leveled by Herman Cain that Perry’s campaign is responsible for leaking stories to the press about sexual harassment allegations leveled at Cain over the past week.

“Our campaign had nothing to do with it,” said Perry, as this story finally begins to get direct comment from other Republicans running for the White house.

In an interview with WSB Radio talk show host Erick Erickson, who is also the chief architect of the conservative web site RedState.org, Perry said he found out about the story “the same time as everyone else did.”

Cain and his top aides charge that a former aide to Cain who supposedly was told about the issue back in 2004 when Cain ran for U.S. Senate in Georgia, along with a pollster who is now affiliated with the Perry camp were the likely source of the leak, a charge Perry denied.

Here are some snippets from Perry’s interview with Erickson:

“We found out about these allegations I suppose at the same time that everyone else did; read about them online – our campaign had absolutely nothing to do with it.

“You know, I’m disappointed there’s finger pointing going on, and the sooner we get back to talking about the issues that are important to the people of this country, the better – and that’s how do we get Americans working again.

“I will suggest to you, there’s not anybody in my campaign, that knew anything about this, that’s associated with my campaign in any form or fashion – end of story.

“It’s about as clear cut as I can tell you. We found out about the allegations against Mr. Cain the same time everybody else did.”