Poll: Americans will blame GOP for government shutdown

Fifty-eight percent say Republicans are "acting like spoiled children"

Published September 30, 2013 1:10PM (EDT)

John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Michele Bachmann                                                                   (AP/Susan Walsh/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst/Joshua Lott)
John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Michele Bachmann (AP/Susan Walsh/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst/Joshua Lott)

According to a report from CNN, a new CNN/ORC International poll finds that if a government shutdown occurs, House Republicans will get the lion's share of the blame.

The poll, conducted Sept. 27-29 with 803 respondents and a 3.5 percentage chance for error, shows that 46 percent of Americans would blame Republicans for a shutdown, compared to 36 percent who would blame the president. Thirteen percent would blame both sides.

Roughly six-out-of-10 respondents said they wanted a budget deal to avoid a shutdown, while most believe a shutdown would "be a bad thing for the country."

More from CNN:

While most Democrats questioned in the CNN poll would predictably blame congressional Republicans and most Republicans questioned would point fingers at the president, independents were divided on which side they would blame.

In a separate question, 49% of all people in the poll say that Obama is acting like a responsible adult in this budget battle, with 47% describing him as a spoiled child. While that's nothing to brag about, it's better than Congress.

According to the poll, 58% say congressional Democrats are acting like spoiled children, with that number rising to 69% for the GOP in Congress. Only one in four say congressional Republicans are acting like responsible adults.


By Elias Isquith

Elias Isquith is a former Salon staff writer.

MORE FROM Elias Isquith


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Cnn Gop Government Shutdown Poll Republican Party