Democrats, Republicans See Clashing Views Helped by S&P Revision

The divide between Republicans and Democrats in Congress over combating the nation’s debt was spotlighted by Standard & Poor’s lowering of the U.S. credit outlook to “negative,” with each side saying the change bolstered their competing arguments.

Democrats said the revision issued yesterday by New York-based S&P helps make the case for a broad agreement based on the debt-cutting plan President Barack Obama outlined last week. Republicans said the ratings firm’s report reinforces their call for deeper spending cuts than the president and other Democrats have been willing to consider.