Poll: Bush responsible for economy

HAMDEN, Conn., July 14 (UPI) -- Americans, by a 2-to-1 margin, blame former President George W. Bush for the financial situation in the United States, a poll says.

Even so, U.S. voters disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling the nation's economy, a poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University said.

The poll said 56 percent of those asked disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy, while 38 percent approved. However, 45 percent trust Obama more than congressional Republicans on proposed measures to fix the economy; 38 percent of those polled believed differently.

Obama's job rating gets a 47-46 percent approval, unchanged from a June 9 survey by the same organization. The president outscores congressional Republicans on several points in the deficit reduction battle, the poll said.

"The American people aren't very happy about their leaders, but President Barack Obama is viewed as the best of the worst, especially when it comes to the economy," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling institute.

"Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of President Obama's handling of the economy, but by 2-1 they pin the blame on former President George W. Bush rather than Obama."

The poll said 71 percent of Americans believe the country is in a recession, and by 54-27 percent they blame Bush more than Obama.

The poll was conducted July 5-11 among 2,311 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.