Americans Still Blame Bush for the Economy

The Harris Poll asked a couple of thousand Americans who, if they had to pick just one, was most to blame for the economic clusterfudge, and they chose George W. Bush, followed by Wall Street. Only 4 percent picked Fed Chair Ben Bernanke.

Just 14 percent of those polled — less than half Bush’s number — blamed President Barack Obama. Sixteen percent blamed Democrats in Congress and 9 percent blamed Republican legislators.

A big concern for Democrats heading into the 2010 and 2012 elections is the degree to which they now own the recession.

If you take the presidents (Bush and Obama) together with their respective parties in Congress, 40 percent of those polled blame the Republicans and 30 percent blame the Democrats.

That may seem like good news for Donkeys, but the Democrats should be careful. First of all, George W. Bush isn’t going to be on the ballot any time soon. Second, the question is whom do you most blame. There’s plenty of anger to go around. — PZS

Harris Poll via BusinessWire:

Adding to the roster of Republican woes is the fact that the memory of President George W. Bush and the state of the economy he left as part of his legacy still sticks in the craw of Americans. When asked whom they most blame for the bad state of the economy, former President Bush tops the list, singled out by 31%. Wall Street, a major contributor of funds to the Republican Party, comes in second as most blamed by 25%. Then, much further down the blame list, are Democrats in Congress (16%) and President Obama (14%). Republicans in Congress finish next at 9%, with Federal Research Chairman Ben Bernanke finishing last at 4%. This result is significant because there is little doubt that whoever is perceived as “owning” the state of the economy is likely to suffer both next November and again in the presidential contest in 2012.

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