Toomey: "Different approach" than McConnell

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell floated a controversial proposal yesterday to resolve the debt ceiling impasse by essentially giving President Barack Obama the authority to raise the debt ceiling in increments -- preventing a government default, allowing Republicans (and vulnerable Democrats) to vote against an increase without imperiling the markets, but also ceding borrowing authority rather than seizing it to make big change.

It's unclear how much support McConnell has in the rank and file for the idea, which has been widely panned. In an interview this afternoon, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. -- who's had a visible role on the debt ceiling issue -- stuck to his Cut, Cap and Balance guns.

"I've got a different approach. I'm pursuing an approach of raising the debt limit provided the president agree with us to get on a path of a balanced budget. I think that's where we ought to head and it's a reasonable goal. I'm not interested in raising the debt limit unless we do something to fix the structural deficits we have."

I followed up: "So you're not inclined to support McConnell's proposal?" And Toomey replied, "I'm just going to repeat what I just said."

He ain't lyin': Look at the quote he gave The Hill yesterday on this subject.

Photo: McConnell at podium, Toomey at right. Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images.