This new Rasmussen poll is fascinating and I see it as good news for Democratic incumbents, although the blame for the economy is trending toward Mr. Obama and away from Mr. Bush. Supporters of government intervention and massive intervention into the economy can still argue that half of the public thinks it’s George Bush’s fault. Read it and you’ll know why the phrase “the Bush recession” is a phrase you will hear Democrats utter over and over and over again as we head to November.
Most fascinating, however, is this data, which strips away the veil: (emphasis is mine). It reinforces what Politico found in their polling as well.
In June and last October, 45% blamed Obama’s policies for the country’s ongoing economic woes, the previous high finding on this question. The number who blame Bush is down from 62% in May 2009 when Rasmussen Reports first began tracking the question regularly. Only 27% faulted Obama at that time.
As is often the case, Mainstream voters and the Political Class have wholly different viewpoints on this question. While 61% of Mainstream voters now blame Obama’s policies, 87% of the Political Class say the bad economy is due to the recession that began under Bush.
