Poll: Most People Against Raising Debt Ceiling

The American people haven't been moved by all the dire warnings about the consequences of hitting the debt ceiling, a new Fox News poll suggests. Only 37% said they would vote to raise the debt ceiling if they were in Congress, compared to 58% who said they'd vote against. Opponents included 78% of Republicans, 57% of independents, and 38% of Democrats. Respondents weren't nearly as sanguine when it came to the government shutdown; 81% said it was a "very" or "somewhat" serious problem.

But the country is still seriously divided about how to resolve that impasse, a Pew poll reveals. Asked who should give ground in the debate, 42% said President Obama should, to 44% who said the GOP should, with the response split essentially evenly along party lines. Republicans are still taking more blame for the crisis, however, and that may show up in the ballot box. The latest Politico poll shows Terry McAuliffe opening a 9-point lead over Ken Cuccinelli in Virginia's governor's race, amid rampant anti-shutdown sentiment. (More debt ceiling stories.)