Polls: Public Wants Compromise On Budget, Volatile On Blame

WASHINGTON -- A subtle difference in wording appears to explain drastic differences between two sets of polls that gauge whether the public would hold Republicans or Democrats responsible if the looming government shutdown does occur.

Two polls released this week by The Washington Post and the Pew Research Center (reported by HuffPost on Tuesday) show Americans essentially divided on who to blame should the federal government shut down over a budget impasse. But three surveys conducted in the last two months show Americans ready to hold Republicans responsible for an impending shutdown by double-digit margins.

The Pew Research and Washington Post polls ask Americans whom they think "would be more to blame" if the federal government shuts down as a result of a failure of the Republicans or the Obama administration to agree on a budget. They find roughly the same number ready to blame Obama or the Republicans on polls conducted this past week and in late February.