Fox: Bush Still To Blame For Economic Woes
As I’ve said numerous times before, voters aren’t stupid. They know who piloted our economic collapse last year and it’s going to be extremely hard for Republicans to convince them otherwise.
Still, it is kind of telling that Republicans blame Obama more for the economy than Bush, even though it’s by a very small 6 point margin. I mean, come on folks…we’re 10 months in and you REALLY believe that Obama is the reason why we’re still only treading water?
Also note how the number of Republicans is skewing the total to be 7 points more than what Independents think. Because that number is really what you should be looking at since they’ll determine whether or not Republicans make serious gains in 2010. And since the economy is bound to be the #1 issue at that time, this doesn’t bode well for the GOP.
Still, I predict that if the economy doesn’t get better by this time next year Obama and Bush will be even. At least among Indies. Because at that point it’ll be about 20 months in and, fair or not, Obama will own it.
Here’s the question: When will Obama own the economy in swing voters’ minds?
(Photo: The Washington Independent)
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It’s a good question. Do you think voters blamed Clinton or Bush more for the failure of security on 9/11? Bush was nine months in. Yet by and large liberals blamed him for the twin towers more than his predecessor.
I think they blamed Bush, and rightfully so.
It’s documented that Clinton told Bush to focus on al Qaeda, but they didn’t. In fact, they ignored very specific warnings. And after the fact they claimed that nobody could have known 9/11 was coming, even when it was later revealed that numerous training exercises mimicked the events of that day.
Compare that to the economy. It started turning down well before last October, but that’s when it got really, really, really bad. And Obama has done almost nothing but create policies in his first 10 months that address those problems. He hasn’t really even addressed Afghanistan because of it.
Still, a good question and I appreciate you posing it.
In response to another comment. See in context »While Bush should be the recipient for most of the blame, Obama’s economic policies this year isn’t too different from what the Bush administration would have done. Obama’s entire economic advisory board is basically a mirror image of Bush’s, and they still refuse to listen to smart people like Sheila Bair. Also, this goes beyond Bush/Obama – the Clinton administration also has their part in this.
In response to another comment. See in context »Mr. Kain,
Mr. Bush received a briefing in August 2001 at his ranch during the first of his many vacations there. The presidential briefing document (PBD) was titled “Bin Laden Determined To Strike in US”. When President Bush got back to Washington on September 4, there was a “principals meeting” to discuss terrorism. Mr. Bush’s ranch was were he was playing guitar when Katrina struck New Orleans. In fact, prior to 9/11 Mr. Bush was at his ranch 54 days, which if you add the 38 days that he spent at Camp David, and four days Kennebunkport Maine, Mr. Bush spent 96 days outside of Washington, or about 40 percent of his presidency to that point.
I think that if the voters were aware of these details, they would have appropriately blamed Mr.Bush. They have punished the Republican party at the poles as his proxy.
In response to another comment. See in context »Mr. Gardner,
The question is not just who owns the economy but what they are doing about it. Mr. Roosevelt owned the worst US economy ever for three elections but never lost. The reason was they knew he was trying his best and doing what he could for the average American. Everyone knew that if a Republican got elected president, things would be worse. Not so much that the economy would get worse but that no one in Washington would help the average American. Conservatives often claim that Roosevelt’s “New Deal” did nothing to help end the depression. Be that as it may but the New Deal literally kept millions of American alive, in jobs, and in houses when otherwise they would have been – well otherwise. Even if the economy worsens, Mr. Obama would be in little danger from a Republican candidate.
Hi–interesting question, and as you acknowledge, much of it is in the analysis and reporting. But my comment is a dedicated editors comment; your headline, on the True/Slant main page, appears as such:
Poll: Bush still to blames for economic woes
which you might want to fix.
I actually don’t have any control over that, but looks like it was fixed some time this morning. Still, I definitely appreciate the feedback.
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Justin Gardner, Mr. Meta and Tweets Tube, designbyone. designbyone said: When will Obama own the economy in swing voters’ minds? http://tinyurl.com/y9y36jd [...]