Look Who it Was Random video

Barack Obama squares up to the fiscal cliff in Detroit

377 views · Published 10 December 2012 · 1:43 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: The Telegraph · 2012 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

US President Barack Obama said he was ready to compromise "a little bit" to head off a tax and austerity crisis, but warned he would not budge on making the rich pay more.

Heaping pressure on Republican leaders to cave in and raise income tax rates, Mr Obama revived his high-tech re-election campaign machinery to send voters scripts to read during protest phone calls.

"Once you've called your representative's office, please report back and let us know how it went," supporters in Republican districts were told in an email from Stephanie Cutter, a senior adviser.

Mr Obama's team previously pledged to wheel its campaign operation back out only if talks on replacing across-the-board tax hikes and deep spending cuts from January 1 had reached "stalemate".

Its decision with three weeks until deadline fuelled fears that the combination of $600 billion in cuts and blow to household incomes could throw the US off the so-called "cliff" and into recession.

Giving a campaign-style speech last night even after winning re-election last month, Mr Obama noted that "even the wealthiest" would see taxes frozen on their first $250,000 (£125,000) under his plan.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9736142/Barack-Obama-activates-high-tech-campaign-to-avoid-fiscal-cliff.html

Get the latest headlines http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Subscribe to The Telegraph http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=telegraphtv

Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/telegraph.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/telegraph
Follow us on Google+ https://plus.google.com/102891355072777008500/

Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Daily Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.

More from this channel