Checking Drudge periodically today, I found the banner headline:
OBAMA: 80% OF AMERICANS WANT HIGHER TAXES
Obama: Public is 'sold' on tax increases in a debt-ceiling deal
By Sam Youngman and Alicia M. Cohn - 07/15/11 11:54 AM ET
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/171743-obama-public-sold-on-tax-increases-in-debt-ceiling-deal
The article at The Hill leads off: President Obama on Friday kept up the pressure on Republicans to agree to revenue increases in a deal to raise the debt ceiling, claiming 80 percent of the public supports Democrats' demand for tax increases.
A bit later in the day, Drudge added another link: 55% Oppose Tax Hike In Debt Ceiling Deal
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/taxes/july_2011/55_oppose_tax_hike_in_debt_ceiling_deal
"Just 34% think a tax hike should be included in any legislation to raise the debt ceiling. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% disagree and say it should not."
Curious, I went back to the article from the Hill. I was certain that there was a direct quote from the president explicitly saying that 80% approved of tax increases. Now I can't find it. Where did it go?
At the bottom of the Hill article I found the hole down which Obama's ill-considered sentence went: "—This story was updated at 12:50 p.m."
UPDATE:
Real Clear Politics has the unexpurgated version:
"The American people are sold," President Obama said.
"The American people are sold, I just want to repeat that."
"You have 80% of the American people who support a balanced approach. 80% of the American people support an approach that includes revenues and includes cuts. So the notion that somehow the American people aren't sold is not the problem. The problem is members of Congress are dug in ideologically."
