Former President George W. Bush gets more blame for the country’s economic troubles than his successor or Democrats who control Congress, according to a Harris poll out Wednesday. Poll: Bush still blamed for economy

Former President George W. Bush gets more blame for the country’s economic troubles than his successor or the Democrats who control Congress, according to a Harris poll out Wednesday.

Thirty-one percent of the 2,344 adults surveyed said Bush deserves the most blame for a rough economy, leading the second-place Wall Street by 6 percentage points.


Democrats in Congress were blamed by 16 percent of those polled, while President Barack Obama was blamed by 14 percent. Republicans in Congress were blamed by 9 percent of respondents, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was blamed by 4 percent.

A majority of Democrats — 53 percent — blamed Bush for the economy. Republicans, meanwhile, blamed Democrats in Congress more than Obama.

“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,” wrote pollster Louis Harris in his analysis.

Republicans were also split when asked to identify the most powerful figure in the GOP.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney rated highest with 14 percent, but he was swamped by the 44 percent of respondents who were either “not sure” or would have picked someone other than the eight Republicans listed.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin finished second among Republicans with 13 percent. She was trailed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader John Boehner and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor.