<p>The White House made a reference to the Occupy Wall Street movement's 99 percent slogan for the first time as President Barack Obama Monday embarked on a three-day bus tour to North Carolina and Virginia.<br /><br />The tour would ensure "the interests of the 99 percent of Americans are well-represented on the tour", White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said Sunday. <br /><br />The slogan references the notion, advanced by the protesters, that 99 percent of Americans are being exploited by the top one percent.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the residents of New York City, where the movement was born Sep 17, overwhelmingly expressed approval for it, according to a Quinnipiac University poll out Monday. <br /><br />Almost three to one - 67 percent to 23 percent - of those questioned say they agree with the views of the protesters who demonstrate daily near the city's financial nucleus of Wall Street.<br /><br />Party identification is a strong predictor of attitudes toward the movement, the poll found.<br /><br /> Democrats agree with the protesters by a staggering 81 percent to 11 percent margin, while independents back them by a less lopsided 58 percent to 30 percent. Republicans disagree with the protesters, 58 percent to 35 percent. <br /><br />Majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans alike said that protesters should be able to stay and demonstrate as long as they want. <br /><br />A common criticism of Occupy Wall Street is that it lacks a cohesive message. But 72 percent of those questioned said they understand protesters' views "fairly well" or "very well".</p>
<p>The White House made a reference to the Occupy Wall Street movement's 99 percent slogan for the first time as President Barack Obama Monday embarked on a three-day bus tour to North Carolina and Virginia.<br /><br />The tour would ensure "the interests of the 99 percent of Americans are well-represented on the tour", White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said Sunday. <br /><br />The slogan references the notion, advanced by the protesters, that 99 percent of Americans are being exploited by the top one percent.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the residents of New York City, where the movement was born Sep 17, overwhelmingly expressed approval for it, according to a Quinnipiac University poll out Monday. <br /><br />Almost three to one - 67 percent to 23 percent - of those questioned say they agree with the views of the protesters who demonstrate daily near the city's financial nucleus of Wall Street.<br /><br />Party identification is a strong predictor of attitudes toward the movement, the poll found.<br /><br /> Democrats agree with the protesters by a staggering 81 percent to 11 percent margin, while independents back them by a less lopsided 58 percent to 30 percent. Republicans disagree with the protesters, 58 percent to 35 percent. <br /><br />Majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans alike said that protesters should be able to stay and demonstrate as long as they want. <br /><br />A common criticism of Occupy Wall Street is that it lacks a cohesive message. But 72 percent of those questioned said they understand protesters' views "fairly well" or "very well".</p>