US Republican White House frontrunner Mitt Romney stumbled a day after his Florida triumph with a gaffe about poor Americans, while rival Newt Gingrich yesterday eyed a boost from Donald Trump.
Populist real-estate tycoon and reality TV star Trump, who flirted with running for the presidency himself last year, was expected to throw his weight behind Gingrich at a “major announcement” in Las Vegas.
Both Republican frontrunner candidates headed from Florida to Nevada a day after Romney defeated Gingrich in the Sunshine State, retaking the lead in the White House nomination race.
However, the multimillionaire former Massachusetts governor triggered immediate criticism for a controversial comment about the US’ poorest citizens, which threatened to slow his momentum.
“I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it,” said Romney, a businessman who last week acknowledged earning US$20 million in 2010.
“I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine,” the former venture capital boss told CNN. “I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90 to 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.”
The remarks were quickly seized upon by his opponents.
Gingrich, who lost to Romney by more than 14 percentage points in Florida, fired back at his rival.
“I am fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other. I am running to be president of all the American people and I am concerned about all of the American people,” Gingrich said in Nevada.
Romney swiftly tried to explain his remarks, telling reporters traveling with him on his plane that they should consider everything he said, rather than just part of the sentence.
“Of course I’m concerned about all Americans ... poor, wealthy, middle class, but the focus of my effort will be on middle-income families who I think have been most hurt by the Obama economy,” he said later.
Yesterday, all eyes were on Trump, who scheduled an announcement for 12:30pm — which the New York Times and other media said would be an endorsement for Gingrich.
Gingrich has been endorsed by former candidate Herman Cain, and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin had urged Florida voters to back him in order to extend the contest, a sign of his support among the ultra--conservative Tea Party.
However, most of the party’s establishment figures — including Senator John McCain and popular New Jersey Governor Chris Christie — have backed Romney.
UPDATED (3:40pm): A suspected gas explosion at a shopping mall in Taichung this morning has killed four people and injured 20 others, as emergency responders continue to investigate. The explosion occurred on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Situn District (西屯) at 11:33am. One person was declared dead at the scene, while three people were declared deceased later after receiving emergency treatment. Another 20 people sustained major or minor injuries. The Taichung Fire Bureau said it received a report of the explosion at 11:33am and sent rescuers to respond. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, it said. The National Fire
ALL-IN-ONE: A company in Tainan and another in New Taipei City offer tours to China during which Taiwanese can apply for a Chinese ID card, the source said The National Immigration Agency and national security authorities have identified at least five companies that help Taiwanese apply for Chinese identification cards while traveling in China, a source said yesterday. The issue has garnered attention in the past few months after YouTuber “Pa Chiung” (八炯) said that there are companies in Taiwan that help Taiwanese apply for Chinese documents. Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) last week said that three to five public relations firms in southern and northern Taiwan have allegedly assisted Taiwanese in applying for Chinese ID cards and were under investigation for potential contraventions of the Act Governing
STAY WARM: Sixty-three nontraumatic incidents of OHCA were reported on Feb. 1, the most for a single day this year, the National Fire Agency said A total of 415 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occurred this month as of Saturday, data from the National Fire Agency showed as doctors advised people to stay warm amid cold weather, particularly people with cardiovascular disease. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued a low temperature warning nationwide except for Penghu County, anticipating sustained lows of 10°C or a dip to below 6°C in Nantou, Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as areas north of Yunlin County. The coldest temperature recorded in flat areas of Taiwan proper yesterday morning was 6.4°C in New Taipei City’s Shiding District (石碇). Sixty-three nontraumatic OHCA
COMMITTED: Lai said that Taiwan deeply appreciated the leaders’ statement, adding that the nation would remain steadfast in working to advance regional peace and prosperity US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in a joint statement issued after they met in Washington for their first official meeting. Trump and Ishiba “affirmed their determination to pursue a new golden age for US-Japan relations that upholds a free and open Indo-Pacific and brings peace and prosperity to a violent and disorderly world,” the US-Japan Joint Leaders’ Statement said. “The two leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the