Majority say Bush to blame for the economy

A majority of Americans say former President George W. Bush is mostly responsible for the nation's protracted economic downturn. 

In a USA Today/Gallup poll released Friday, 71 percent said Bush should get most of the blame, down from 80 percent who blamed the former president for the recession in July 2009. 

About half — 48 percent — say President Obama, who has been in office for 20 months, should get a great deal or moderate part of the blame, up from 32 percent a year ago. 

But 51 percent say he's dealing with problems he inherited — not created — saying he deserves not much or none of the responsibility for nation's economic troubles. 

When asked across party lines, Republicans by a 4-to-1 margin were more likely to say Obama should shoulder most of the blame over Bush. 

Democrats by a 20-to-1 margin targeted Bush for the nation's economic problems. Only 3 percent said Obama bore a great deal of the blame.