Poll: 53 Percent of Americans Ready to Blame GOP If Fiscal Cliff Negotiations Fail

New Pew poll

Negotiations with Republicans over the so-called "fiscal cliff" may be slow going for President Obama, but a new survey shows the president has the public on his side.

If Washington fails to avert the "cliff"—triggering a series of spending cuts and tax hikes at the start of the new year, possibly dragging the economy into another recession—most Americans, 53 percent, would blame congressional Republicans,according to a Pew Research Center poll. Just 27 percent would blame Mr. Obama, according to the poll, conducted Nov. 28—Dec. 2.