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
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
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.
“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
Mitt Romney fought to open an unassailable lead over chief rival Rick Santorum in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination on Tuesday, with Ohio the biggest prize among 10 states holding contests.
Romney, the winner of the past five state races, carried momentum into “Super Tuesday,” the biggest day so far in the roller coaster Republican campaign. Some 419 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the party’s nomination are at stake.
Polls show Romney has effectively erased the more conservative Santorum’s lead in Ohio, a traditional bellwether state that could play an important role in deciding the Republican nominee to challenge Democratic President Barack Obama on November 6.
Read more: Romney, Santorum look to Ohio for Super Tuesday
Live blog: Super Tuesday events
Ann Romney gets it.
She is aware that her husband, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, has an image problem. Critics say he often seems stiff and reserved on the campaign trail, and has difficulty connecting with voters.
That isn’t a problem for Ann Romney.
She is warm, composed, approachable and careful with her words. The mother of five and grandmother of 16 also has become the behind-the-scenes glue in Mitt Romney’s well-organized campaign — a trusted adviser who keeps a close eye on the news coverage about him and casts him as a personable family man.
And as a worldwide television audience saw Tuesday night when she introduced Mitt Romney at a celebration of his victory in Michigan’s Republican primary, Ann Romney knows how to work a room.
Read more: Ann Romney adds personal touch to Mitt’s campaign
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Join our live blog for rolling analysis, insight and commentary during tonight’s Arizona GOP presidential debate.
![Yesterday, GOP presidential nominee hopeful Rick Santorum followed other candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney along with President Barack Obama in releasing his tax returns.
The above Reuters graphic shows how the four men’s 2010 tax returns stack up against each other. [REUTERS]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzi3zt4UAm1qmaoalo1_1280.gif)
Yesterday, GOP presidential nominee hopeful Rick Santorum followed other candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney along with President Barack Obama in releasing his tax returns.
The above Reuters graphic shows how the four men’s 2010 tax returns stack up against each other. [REUTERS]
