Romney campaign defends JPMorgan loss as market risk U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign said on Tuesday that JPMorgan Chase & Co’s huge trading losses were an unfortunate part of a free market economy. Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told NBC that, while Romney supports some financial regulation, the losses at one of the nation’s largest banks involved investors, not taxpayers, and that rules for Wall Street should not hamper investments. “The leadership of that company will be held accountable for this trading loss, but we don’t want to punish companies, he told NBC’s “Today” program. “There was no taxpayer money at risk. All of the losses went to investors, which is how it works in a public market.” READ MORE: Romney camp defends $3bn loss by JPMorgan
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Romney campaign defends JPMorgan loss as market risk

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign said on Tuesday that JPMorgan Chase & Co’s huge trading losses were an unfortunate part of a free market economy.

Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told NBC that, while Romney supports some financial regulation, the losses at one of the nation’s largest banks involved investors, not taxpayers, and that rules for Wall Street should not hamper investments.

“The leadership of that company will be held accountable for this trading loss, but we don’t want to punish companies, he told NBC’s “Today” program. “There was no taxpayer money at risk. All of the losses went to investors, which is how it works in a public market.”

READ MORE: Romney camp defends $3bn loss by JPMorgan

“This is outside Romney’s Lansing event,” Reuters correspondent Sam Youngman tweets.
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“This is outside Romney’s Lansing event,” Reuters correspondent Sam Youngman tweets.

People don’t walk up and say ‘Oh please drop out.’ People walk up and say ‘I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you’re talking about ideas. Please stay in.
Guess which GOP presidential nominee hopeful said this?
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had this assignment for Rick Santorum on Tuesday to make light of his chief rival’s frequent tussles with the news media: “Press secretary.” Romney, who sometimes struggles to connect with everyday voters, appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an interview that was at times serious and at times humorous. The strait-laced former Massachusetts governor was quickly sidetracked into commenting on Santorum’s recent vow to crack down on pornography if he were to be elected president. “Did you ever think we’d be talking about porn, with all the other things in this election?” Leno asked. “I didn’t know we were talking about porn,” Romney said to laughter from the audience. READ MORE: Romney has job for Santorum:  press secretary
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had this assignment for Rick Santorum on Tuesday to make light of his chief rival’s frequent tussles with the news media: “Press secretary.”

Romney, who sometimes struggles to connect with everyday voters, appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an interview that was at times serious and at times humorous.

The strait-laced former Massachusetts governor was quickly sidetracked into commenting on Santorum’s recent vow to crack down on pornography if he were to be elected president.

“Did you ever think we’d be talking about porn, with all the other things in this election?” Leno asked.

“I didn’t know we were talking about porn,” Romney said to laughter from the audience.

READ MORE: Romney has job for Santorum:  press secretary

producermatthew: We can all stop trying now: Reuters Politics has the best Facebook cover photo of all time. Speaking of Reuters Politics on Facebook, correspondent Sam Youngman is taking your questions starting at 2pm in a special Facebook thread. If you want to see more photos of Mitt Romney holding babies, go here.
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producermatthew:

We can all stop trying now: Reuters Politics has the best Facebook cover photo of all time.

Speaking of Reuters Politics on Facebook, correspondent Sam Youngman is taking your questions starting at 2pm in a special Facebook thread.

If you want to see more photos of Mitt Romney holding babies, go here.

Source: producermatthew

2pm ET Facebook Chat: Reuters political correspondent Sam Youngman

Ask Reuters political correspondent Sam Youngman your burning questions at 2pm Eastern Time on the Reuters Politics Facebook page.

Romney Holding Babies Mitt Romney carries a baby after speaking to workers and supporters at a rally at Thompson Tractor in Birmingham, Alabama March 9, 2012. Photo credit: REUTERS/Marvin Gentry
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Romney Holding Babies

Mitt Romney carries a baby after speaking to workers and supporters at a rally at Thompson Tractor in Birmingham, Alabama March 9, 2012.

Photo credit: REUTERS/Marvin Gentry

Would a Mitt Romney presidency be a boon for Wall Street?

Reuters blogger Felix Salmon and Noam Scheiber, author of “The Escape Artists” and senior editor at The New Republic, discuss what a Romney presidency might mean for the financial industry.

Watch on YouTube | More from Reuters TV

“I don’t care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates.” Republican White House hopeful Rick Santorum said on Monday he did not care about the U.S. unemployment rate, perhaps the nation’s most closely watched economic indicator, despite being embroiled in a campaign largely focused on the still-sputtering economy. Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election. Read more: Santorum says he doesn’t care about unemployment rate
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“I don’t care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates.”

Republican White House hopeful Rick Santorum said on Monday he did not care about the U.S. unemployment rate, perhaps the nation’s most closely watched economic indicator, despite being embroiled in a campaign largely focused on the still-sputtering economy.

Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election.

Read more: Santorum says he doesn’t care about unemployment rate

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be headed for an important victory in Illinois on Tuesday that would help him put more distance between himself and Rick Santorum, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination. A new poll by Public Policy Polling said Romney leads the conservative Santorum by 45 percent to 30 percent in Illinois. Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich had 12 percent and libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, 10 percent. Romney, who has struggled to put away Santorum, leads the former Pennsylvania senator in the race for the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. He has 518 delegates to Santorum’s 239, according to CNN. A victory in Illinois, combined with his win in Puerto Rico and sweep of its 20 delegates on Saturday, would put Romney one step closer to becoming the party’s candidate to face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election. Read more: Romney leads in Illinois poll over Santorum
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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be headed for an important victory in Illinois on Tuesday that would help him put more distance between himself and Rick Santorum, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination.

A new poll by Public Policy Polling said Romney leads the conservative Santorum by 45 percent to 30 percent in Illinois. Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich had 12 percent and libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, 10 percent.

Romney, who has struggled to put away Santorum, leads the former Pennsylvania senator in the race for the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. He has 518 delegates to Santorum’s 239, according to CNN.

A victory in Illinois, combined with his win in Puerto Rico and sweep of its 20 delegates on Saturday, would put Romney one step closer to becoming the party’s candidate to face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

Read more: Romney leads in Illinois poll over Santorum