bq. I think the right way to think about how the economy influences elections is not to view voters are closely reading the Wall Street Journal, but rather the economy as a narrative that the media and campaigns try to shape.
From an interview with political scientist Neil Malhotra on how the economy, tornadoes, and college football games affect voting. Here’s another quote:
bq. One reason I think why Obama has exceeded expectations in this election is that people clearly do not blame him completely for the state of the economy given what was handed to him by the previous administration. Yes, Republicans are less likely than Democrats to do this, but a surprisingly high percentage of Republicans attribute the current economy to the Bush Administration.
For more on blame, see my post.