Trump, Cruz or any Conservative could knock that question out of the park. If we allow the media or anyone else to hide the fact that there was Republican culpability in the debacle, we do not deserve to win--nor can anyone who understands economics trust us. Yes the Democrats pushed housing for those who could not possibly afford that housing; providing part of the incentive for the creation of a mountain of worthless debt instruments; but Republicans went along with some of that push--lest the weak kneed ones be seen as anti-poor people.
More significant in what actually followed; it was Bush II's Secretary of the Treasury who advocated our big banks being allowed to grossly--grossly and then some--over-leverage their assets, to set the stage for the massive meltdown.
Corrupt banking policy combined with corrupt social policy. Both cancers need to be attacked.
Bush actually hesitated until McCain, leading in the polls at the time, demanded action. McCain’s fly in to “seal the surrender” marked the last time he led in the polls. Most of the GOP still doesn’t get it.