Obama Defends Tax Deal With GOP, Slaps 'Sanctimonious' Liberals

Conceding his eroding political position in Congress, President Barack Obama defended a compromise package that retains the Bush tax rates for all Americans and extends jobless benefits.

"Some would prefer a protracted political fight," Obama said in a nod to his left-wing supporters. And, seeking to hold that base, he pledged to "fight to end" the upper-income tax cuts in two years, when they would expire.

But acknowledging that lower taxes are the "holy grail" of a rising Republican majority in the House and figuring that he couldn't get his "preferred option" of raising taxes on upper-income earners through the Senate, the president said he took the best deal available.

"I was not willing to see people get harmed," Obama said of 2 million jobless workers whose benefits are expiring.

Still, Obama encountered tough questions from reporters and seething anger from liberals, even as he claimed "the polls are on our side" in the tax debate.

"My job is to spur job creation. A long political fight would be bad for the economy," Obama said.

Smarting from criticism within his own party, Obama said attacks from a "sanctimonious" left wing reminded him of internal flak he took over the compromises in the health-care law.

"This is the 'public option' all over again. If (purity) is the standard, we will never get anything done," he said.