WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama, laying down his marker for grueling “fiscal cliff” negotiations, said Friday he won’t accept any approach to federal deficit reduction that doesn’t ask the wealthy to pay more in taxes.

“This was a central question during the election,” Obama said in his first postelection comments on the economy. “The majority of Americans agree with my approach.”

Following up, Obama’s spokesman said later that the president would veto any legislation extending tax cuts for families making $250,000 or more.