Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Cain told aides earlier in the day on Tuesday he is assessing whether the latest allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against him

HILLSDALE, Mich. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is sticking to his topic — defense spending — in his first public speech since an Atlanta businesswoman alleged that they had a 13-year extramarital affair.

Cain addressed an audience at Hillsdale College in Michigan on Tuesday night, just a day after Ginger White detailed their affair in an interview with an Atlanta TV station.

Cain has flatly denied an affair with White, although he acknowledged being a friend of White's and helping her financially. He told his campaign staff earlier Tuesday that he is assessing whether her allegation will create too much of a cloud for his campaign to continue.

In his Hillsdale College speech, Cain called for investment in the military instead of what he called the current policy of "cut, cut, cut."