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2002 State Legislative Survey (ICPSR 20960)

Released/updated on: 2008-03-25
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey of state legislators updates and expands the 1995 Carey, Niemi, and Powell survey, STATE LEGISLATIVE SURVEY AND CONTEXTUAL DATA, 1995: [UNITED STATES] (ICPSR 3021), which asked many of the same questions. Questionnaires were mailed to all 7,430 state legislators (50 states, 99 chambers) in February 2002, with follow-up letters in March and May of the same year. State legislators were surveyed on the importance of various factors in learning how to do their job, the importance of various sources of information available to them, whether they had authored any bills that became law during their most recent term, whether they specialized in single policy areas, and how much time they spent on legislative duties and tasks. Opinions were sought on the relative influence of party leaders and staff, among others, in determining legislative outcomes, and how much attention party leaders should give to various duties. Additional questions asked whether respondents followed their conscience or the wishes of their constituency when making decisions, the political views of their constituency, and which groups they considered to be their strongest supporters. Information was also collected on opposition candidates, vote percentages, campaign expenditures, previously held public and appointed offices, and future political aspirations. Demographic information includes sex, race, household income, religious preference, political party affiliation, and political philosophy.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs

2012 Chicago Council Survey on American Public Opinion and Foreign Policy (ICPSR 36230)

Released/updated on: 2015-12-07
Geographic coverage: United States

The Chicago Surveys are part of a long-running series of public opinion surveys conducted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs every two years. This study is the 2012 Chicago Council Survey, designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public on matters related to foreign policy, and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate.

The 2012 Chicago Council Survey focuses on respondents' opinions of the United States' leadership role in the world and the challenges the country faces domestically and internationally.

The survey covers the following international topics: relations with other countries, role in foreign affairs, possible threats to vital interests in the next ten years, foreign policy goals, benefits or drawbacks of globalization, situations that might justify the use of United States troops in other parts of the world, the number and location of United States military bases overseas, respondent feelings toward people of other countries, opinions on the influence of other countries in the world and how much influence those countries should have, United States participation in potential treaties, the United States' role in the United Nations and NATO, which side the United States should take in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, what measures should be taken to deal with Iran's nuclear program, the military effort in Afghanistan, opinions on efforts to combat terrorism, and the rise of China as a global power.

Domestic issues include economic prospects for American children when they become adults, funding for government programs, the fairness of the current distribution of income in the United States, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and United States dependence on foreign energy sources.

Demographic and other background information include age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, left-right political self-placement, political affiliation, employment status, highest level of education, and religious preference. Also included are household size and composition, whether the respondent is head of household, household income, housing type, ownership status of living quarters, household Internet access, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) status, and region and state of residence.

Curated
Simple Crosstabs

2015 Chicago Council Survey of American Public Opinion and U.S. Foreign Policy (ICPSR 36437)

Released/updated on: 2016-07-29
Geographic coverage: United States
The Chicago Council Surveys are part of a long-running series of public opinion surveys conducted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs beginning in 1974. They were conducted quadrennially from 1974 to 2002, biennially from 2002 to 2014, and are now conducted annually. The surveys are designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public on matters related to foreign policy, and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate. This public opinion study of the United States focused on respondents' opinions of the United States' leadership role in the world and the challenges the country faces domestically and internationally. Data were collected on a wide range of international topics, including: United States' relations with other countries, role in foreign affairs, possible threats to vital interests in the next ten years, foreign policy goals, situations that might justify the use of United States troops in other parts of the world, international trade, United States' participation in potential treaties, U.S. policy towards Russia in Ukraine, the embargo on Cuba and the effects of renewed diplomatic relations with Havana, views of the nuclear deal with Iran and what effects that deal is likely to have, and United States' relations with allies in Asia. Respondents were also asked their opinion on domestic issues including climate change, measures to improve the United States' economic competitiveness, and their views on US immigration policy. Demographic information collected includes age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, left-right political self-placement, political affiliation, employment status, highest level of education, and religious preference, household income, state of residence, and living quarters ownership status.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs

2015 Local Arts Agency Census, United States (ICPSR 37041)

Released/updated on: 2018-06-01
Geographic coverage: United States

The purpose of the 2015 Local Arts Agency (LAA) Census was to characterize the different ways that LAAs perform their vital roles in every community. LAAs share the goals of enabling diverse forms of arts and culture to thrive locally, ensuring broad accessibility to the public, and building healthier communities through the arts.

The census provides details about LAA staffing and oversight, services and programs, partnerships and collaborations in the community, grantmaking, diversity within staff/volunteers/board and diversity in programming, marketing and communications practices, arts education, services for the military, and operating revenues and expenditures, and more. For a more detailed listing of question groups, please refer to the Description of Variables below.

This study contains data from the two forms of the surveys (Full and Abbreviated--a subset of the Full survey). These surveys were distributed online to 4,377 individual Local Arts Agencies in the United States which were known to Americans for the Arts in 2015. A total of 1,127 LAAs responded to the census survey. 641 submitted the Full survey; 486 completed the Abbreviated survey. The overall response rate was 26%.

The data is contained in two separate datasets comprising results from the two surveys. The Full Survey (dataset 1) contains data from the 641 respondents who completed the long survey. The Combined Surveys (dataset 2) contains responses from both the 486 respondents of the abbreviated survey as well the corresponding 641 responses from the full survey for a total of 1,127 respondents. The rate of response from large and mid-sized LAAs was very high, while small and volunteer-driven LAAs were underrepresented in the survey respondents.

Curated
Simple Crosstabs

2016 Chicago Council Survey of American Public Opinion on U.S. Foreign Policy (ICPSR 36806)

Released/updated on: 2018-04-13
Geographic coverage: United States
The 2016 Chicago Council Survey continues the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' series of investigations into American public opinion on US foreign policy. These studies were conducted quadrennially from 1974 to 2002, biennially from 2002 to 2014, and are now conducted annually. They are designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public on matters related to foreign policy, and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate. This public opinion study of the United States focused on respondents' opinions of the United States' leadership role in the world and the challenges the country faces domestically and internationally. Data were collected on a wide range of international topics, including: United States' relations with other countries, role in foreign affairs, possible threats to vital interests in the next ten years, foreign policy goals, international trade, the United States' participation in potential treaties, the United States' commitment to NATO, the basing of American troops abroad, policy towards the conflict in Syria, and the United States' relations in Asia. Respondents were also asked their opinion on domestic issues including climate change and US immigration policy. Demographic information collected includes age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, left-right political self-placement, political affiliation, employment status, highest level of education, religious preference, household income, state of residence, living quarters ownership status, and specifics about the metropolitan area in which they live.
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Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

2016 Latino Immigrant National Election Study (LINES), [United States] (ICPSR 38129)

Released/updated on: 2021-10-26
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2016-01-01--2017-01-01

The 2016 Latino Immigrant National Election Study (LINES) is a panel study of Latino foreign-born residents of the United States, with telephone surveys of nationally representative samples of respondents fielded in 3 waves over 2016-2017.

The first survey in the 2016 LINES took place during the general election campaign (August and September of 2016). Interviews (N = 1,800) were conducted in English and Spanish, although nearly all respondents opted for Spanish. Because many of the initial telephone numbers dialed were either out of service or otherwise unusable, the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) "Response Rate 1" calculation is low (.034). However, in cases when an eligible immigrant was identified based on the initial screening questions, only 12 percent opted not to complete the survey. On average, an interview that fall lasted approximately 25 minutes.

After the 2016 election, 576 immigrants took part in the second survey wave, which was fielded during the presidential transition period (a 32 percent re-contact rate). At this time, an additional fresh sample of 260 Latino immigrants was added to the study, again to help gauge and ameliorate any potential respondent attrition biases. Finally, in the summer of 2017 (July through early-September), a third wave was conducted, with all 1,800 immigrants from the pre-election baseline survey being eligible for interviewing. In this period, 31 percent of these immigrants (N = 554) were surveyed; this included 321 respondents who had taken part in the second wave and 233 who had not. To increase the sample size at this time and address attrition over time, 500 fresh immigrants were surveyed. In total, 2,560 immigrants took part in the 2016-2017 LINES: 1,800 from before the election, 260 during the presidential transition period, and 300 in the summer of 2017.

The questionnaire instrumentation used in the study was largely adapted from item wordings in the 2012 American National Election Study (ANES). The survey focuses on immigrant civic engagement and political socialization, including items on immigrant attitudes, opinions and electoral and non-electoral political behavior.

Curated
Simple Crosstabs

2017 Chicago Council Survey of American Public Opinion on U.S. Foreign Policy (ICPSR 37970)

Released/updated on: 2021-06-21
Geographic coverage: United States
The 2017 Chicago Council Survey continues the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' series of investigations into American public opinion on United States foreign policy. These studies were conducted quadrennially from 1974 to 2002, biennially from 2002 to 2014, and are now conducted annually. They are designed to investigate the opinions and attitudes of the general public on matters related to foreign policy, and to define the parameters of public opinion within which decision-makers must operate. This public opinion study of the United States focused on respondents' opinions of the United States' leadership role in the world and the challenges the country faces domestically and internationally. Data were collected on a wide range of international topics, including: United States' relations with other countries, role in foreign affairs, possible threats to vital interests in the next ten years, foreign policy goals, international trade, the United States' participation in potential treaties, the United States' commitment to NATO, the basing of American troops abroad, policy towards the conflict in Syria, and the United States' relations with other countries. Respondents were also asked their opinion on US institutions, the US president, and federal government programs. Demographic information collected includes age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, left-right political self-placement, political affiliation, employment status, highest level of education, religious preference, household income, state of residence, and living quarters ownership status.
Curated
Partially restricted
Simple Crosstabs

21st Century Americanism: Nationally Representative Survey of the United States Population, 2004 (ICPSR 27601)

Released/updated on: 2015-04-02
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2004-07-12--2004-10-08
The 21st Century Americanism survey was conducted to study (1) the multidimensional nature of American identity ("Americanism"); (2) resentment among Whites toward immigrants, Latinos, and Asians, fueled by perceptions that these groups violate the cherished norms that constitute American identity ("symbolic nativism"); (3) how perceptions of discrimination affect the process of "becoming American" among ethnic minorities ("reactive ethnicity"); and (4) the relationships among these issues and public opinion on policies that address ethnic change. The data collection began in July 2004 and was completed by October 2004. This nationally representative random-digit dial telephone survey has 2,800 respondents and includes oversamples of Blacks, Latinos, and Asians in the United States. It contains questions that allow for the examination of the causes and consequences of two facets of American identity: (1) how people define the normative content of American identity ("identity content"); and (2) the extent to which people think of themselves primarily as American rather than primarily as a member of a pan-ethnic (i.e., Latino or Asian) or national origin group ("identity attachment"). The survey can be used to test hypotheses regarding whether the alleged traditional consensus on what it means to be American is breaking down, or whether people are increasingly rejecting an American identity and instead prioritizing pan-ethnic or national origin identities. It can also be used to examine how these aspects of one's identity affect political attitudes and behaviors, such as trust in government, voting, and one's sense of obligation to the national community. Demographic variables include gender, age, country of origin, United States citizenship status, race, Hispanic origin, and language and educational attainment. Variables focusing on economic characteristics include employment status and household income.
Curated
Restricted

The 500 Family Study [1998-2000: United States] (ICPSR 4549)

Released/updated on: 2008-06-03
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1998-02-01--2000-06-01

The 500 Family Study was designed to obtain in-depth information on middle class, dual-career families living in the United States. To understand the complex dynamics of today's families and the strategies they use to balance the demands of work and family, over 500 families from 8 cities across the United States were studied. To address different issues facing parents with older and younger children, families with adolescents and families with kindergartners were included in the sample. Working mothers and fathers are now splitting their time between their responsibilities to their family, and to their respective occupations. This study of 500 families explores how work affects the lives and well-being of parents and their children.

The study's data allows researchers to explore a broad range of questions:

  • How do dual-career families manage and organize their resources and time between family and work?
  • How do work conditions, including characteristics of the job and workplace environment, affect the quality of relationships among household members?
  • How do dual career parents manage the moral and social development and learning experiences of their children?
  • How do the work-related responsibilities of working parents affect their child's moral, social, and educational development?
  • What effect is consumerism and technology having on how working families direct the moral and social development of their children?
  • What do parents believe is their role regarding the child-care of their children and how they should fulfill that role both in terms of time and in the allocation of economic and social resources? What are some of the resources in the community that parents use to supervise their children?
  • How do families regard the "free time" of adolescents and how they allocate adolescent "free time" in maintenance of the household?
  • What is the quality of relationships among family members?

To obtain a detailed picture of work and family life, mothers, fathers, and their children were asked to complete a series of instruments including surveys, in-depth interviews, and time diaries. These instruments were designed to provide information about work, marriage, child care and parental supervision, management of household tasks, time allocations, coping strategies, and psychological well-being.

The four datasets associated with this data collection are summarized below:

  1. The Cortisol Data contains information for a subsample of families that elected to participate in a study of psychological stress. Parents and teenagers who agreed to participate completed an additional two days of ESM data collection. The health survey that was administered reported on a variety of health and lifestyle issues that might affect cortisol (stress hormone) levels such as medication use, consumption of caffeine and alcohol, use of nicotine, timing of menstrual cycle, pregnancy, presence of chronic illness, and respondent's height and weight. Additionally, parents reported on the health of the children (teenagers and kindergartners) participating in the study.
  2. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) Data contains a variety of information related to how individuals spend their time, who they spent it with, and what activities they were engaged in over the course of a typical week. Respondents wore programmed wrist watches that emitted signals (beeps) throughout the day. When possible, family members were placed on identical signaling schedules to provide information on a range of family activities. At the time of each beep, participants were asked to complete a self-report form which asked them to answer a number of open-ended questions about their location, activities, who they were with, and psychological states. Several Likert and semantic-differential scales were used to assess participants' psychological states.
  3. The Parent Data contains basic demographic information from respondents as well as detailed information about parents' occupation job duties, income, work schedule, benefits (e.g., medical care, flexible work schedules, and family leave), and the consequences of their jobs (e.g. long hours, job stress, having to work weekends). Additionally, the data contain information about the extent to which parents experienced work-family conflict and what changes might help with better balance of the demands of work and family (e.g., more flexible work hours, more help from spouses with household and child care responsibilities, improved child care, and after-school care arrangements). Parental attitudes toward traditional arrangements, how household tasks were actually divided among family members, and how often the family paid for services (e.g., cleaning, yard work, meal preparation) were also captured. The data also contain information about how children are socialized in families with two working parents. Topics about the frequency with which parents engaged in various activities with their children (e.g., talking, eating meals together, attending religious services), how frequently parents monitored their teenager's activities, and how often they talked with their teenager about school activities, plans for college, career plans, friendships, and peer pressure.
  4. The Adolescent Data contains data for sixth through twelfth graders, which focuses on family relationships and experiences, school experiences, paid work, psychological well-being and behavioral problems, and plans for the future (e.g., college, career, and marriage -- including expectations regarding spouses' sharing of responsibility for child care, cooking, chores, and paid work). To allow for comparison of parents' and adolescents' responses to similar questions, several items appear in both the adolescent and parent data. These items include the frequency with which parents and adolescents discuss school events, college and career plans, participation in religious and other activities, gender role attitudes and the division of household tasks within the family, and items measuring depression, stress, and anxiety.

Qualitative Data -- Interviews The main purpose of the interviews was to explore topics addressed in the parent and adolescent surveys in greater detail. Parent interviews were designed to examine how working parents cope with the demands of work and family life. Adolescent interviews touched on similar themes but altered questions to gauge the adolescent's perceptions of their parents work and family lives. Kindergartner interviews were brief and focused on children's after-school and child care arrangements and time spent with parents.

Curated

ABC News 9/11 Anniversary Poll, September 2006 (ICPSR 4665)

Released/updated on: 2008-01-24
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted September 5-7, 2006, is a part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of political and social issues. The focus of this poll was the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as the campaign against terrorism and the situation in Iraq. Information was collected on how closely respondents were following the upcoming congressional and gubernatorial election, whether they would vote for a Democratic or Republican candidate if the election for the United States House of Representatives were being held that day, and the single most important issue in their vote for Congress members. Other questions asked which political party they trusted to do a better job handling the main problems the nation would face over the next few years, and whether they approved of the way Congress and their own representative to the United States House of Representatives were handling their jobs. Views were also sought on the war in Iraq and Donald Rumsfield's handling of his job as Secretary of Defense. Respondents were asked how well they thought the campaign against terrorism was going, whether the country was safer from terrorism compared to before September 11, 2001, and whether Osama bin Laden would have to be captured or killed for the war on terrorism to be a success. Information was collected about the impact of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on respondents' lives, how concerned they were about the possibility of more major terrorist attacks in the United States, how much confidence they had in the government's ability to prevent another major terrorist attack, whether the federal government was intruding on the privacy rights of Americans in its investigation of possible terrorist attacks, and whether this intrusion was justified. Additional topics addressed the religion of Islam, new airport security measures, and how proud they felt to be an American. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, voter registration and participation history, political party affiliation, political philosophy, employment status, marital status, and type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural).
Curated

ABC News Between Debates Horserace Poll, October 1996 (ICPSR 2165)

Released/updated on: 2008-08-05
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted October 7-8, 1996, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was on the first presidential debate held October 6, 1996. Registered voters were asked their opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency, the economy, foreign affairs, and the situation between Israel and the Palestinians. Respondents familiar with the debate were asked who they believed won, President Bill Clinton or Republican candidate Bob Dole. Several questions asked about campaign advertisements and whether they affected respondents' intentions to vote, and for whom respondents planned to vote in the upcoming presidential and congressional elections. Additional topics addressed the possible 2000 presidential election match-up of Vice President Al Gore and vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp, which qualities were most important in a president, and whether respondents expected life to be better or worse for the next generation of Americans. Demographic information collected on all respondents include sex, race, age, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and voter registration status.
Curated

ABC News/Good Housekeeping Mother's Day Poll, January 2006 (ICPSR 4655)

Released/updated on: 2007-06-26
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted January 30-February 2, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was on respondents' experiences as mothers. Female respondents with children under the age of 18 were asked how well they felt they were doing as mothers, how much each worried about not being as good a mother as she would like to be, and the quality of her relationships with her children and with her own mother. The poll asked how often the respondent asked her mother for advice, whether her mother ever gave her unsolicited parenting advice, and whether she found this advice helpful or annoying. A series of questions asked respondents to compare their own parenting styles with that of their mothers in areas such as discipline and parental involvement, and respondents gave their opinions on whether being a mother was harder or easier compared to when they were children. Additionally, respondents were asked whether they worked outside the home, whether they considered their work to be a career or just a job, who had the main child care responsibilities in their households, whether their own mothers had worked outside the home when they were children, and the number of children in their families when they were growing up. Demographic variables include age, race, marital status, household income, employment status, education level, and number and ages of children in the household.
Curated

ABC News "Good Morning America" Starr Report Poll #3, September 1998 (ICPSR 2640)

Released/updated on: 2008-09-11
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded September 13, 1998, sought respondents' views on Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's ongoing investigation of President Bill Clinton and the resulting Starr Report, submitted to the United States Congress on September 10, 1998. Respondents were asked for their opinions on whether Congress should hold hearings about the possible impeachment of Clinton or whether Congress should drop the matter. Those queried were asked whether they believed that the details of sexual encounters between Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky were included in the Starr Report to show that Clinton lied or merely to embarrass him. Respondents were also asked whether they believed that Clinton had done anything illegal regarding the Lewinsky matter and whether the president should resign, be impeached, or be censured if it were proven that he either lied under oath or asked his aides to lie under oath. Those queried were asked for their opinions of the Starr Report and the Clinton response to that report, in which the White House argued against impeachment. Respondents were asked whether they believed Starr or Clinton, whether they believed that the Starr Report was fair or politically motivated, and whether this was more a personal matter for Clinton or a public concern. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Good Morning America." Demographic information on respondents includes sex and political party affiliation.
Curated

ABC News Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Poll, August 2006 (ICPSR 4664)

Released/updated on: 2007-12-18
Geographic coverage: Mississippi, United States, Louisiana, New Orleans, Alabama
This special topic poll, conducted August 14-20, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on various political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Part 1, FEMA Counties, contains data from a sample of 501 adults living in counties in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that were designated as Hurricane Katrina disaster areas. Part 2, Orleans Parish Including Oversamples, contains data on respondents living in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, including oversamples of 160 respondents contacted via landline telephones, and 120 respondents contacted via cell phones. Respondents were asked to rate the recovery efforts of federal, state, and local governments with respect to Hurricane Katrina, and how much trust and confidence they had in the federal government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) ability to respond to another disaster. Opinions were collected on whether Hurricane Katrina was the result of global climate change or just a severe weather event. Information was collected about the damage caused to respondents' residence and personal property, as well as the severity of the damage, how much of the losses were insured, and whether recovery had already occurred. Respondents were asked to rate the impact Hurricane Katrina had had on their life, whether they suffered a long-term negative impact on their finances, health, and emotional well-being, and whether any friends or family members were seriously injured or killed as as a result of the hurricane. A series of questions asked respondents to rate the job of groups involved with assisting recovery, such as the the United States Small Business Administration, state relief agencies, and insurance companies. Views were sought concerning whether respondents' trust in the government and fellow man was affected by the hurricane, how much they worried about another hurricane occurring, and how much extra stress was created by the possibility of another hurricane. Additional topics addressed whether race and poverty affected the recovery effort, and whether problems with the relief effort were an indication of racial inequality in the United States. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, employment status, marital status, and type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural).
Curated

ABC News Lewinsky/Starr Poll, September 1998 (ICPSR 2636)

Released/updated on: 2008-09-10
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted September 9, 1998, sought respondents' views on the presidency and the ongoing investigation by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr into President Bill Clinton's statements under oath regarding his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Respondents were asked for their opinions on Clinton's trustworthiness, his ability to handle the nation's business, and his personal lifestyle, and whether they believed that Clinton did anything illegal in connection with the Lewinsky matter. Respondents were also asked about what they thought would be an appropriate resolution to the matter if it were determined that Clinton had had an affair and lied about it under oath, or if he had had an affair and encouraged Lewinsky to lie about it under oath. Possible resolutions to the matter included Clinton's resignation, impeachment by Congress, and a censure or official reprimand by Congress. Respondents were asked whether they believed that this scandal had damaged Clinton's ability to serve effectively as president. In addition, a series of questions addressed the motivation, handling, and future of the Starr investigation. A final question asked respondents whether they believed that Clinton's personal behavior was separate from his political behavior. Demographic information includes sex and political party affiliation.
Curated

ABC News Listening to America Poll, May 1996 (ICPSR 6820)

Released/updated on: 2009-10-29
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted April 30 to May 6, 1996, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This poll sought Americans' views on the most important problems facing the United States, their local communities and their own families. Respondents rated the public schools, crime, and drug problems at the national and local levels, their level of optimism about their own future and that of the country, and the reasons they felt that way. Respondents were asked whether they were better off financially than their parents were at their age, whether they expected their own children to be better off financially than they were, and whether the American Dream was still possible for most people. Respondents then compared their expectations about life to their actual experiences in areas such as job security, financial earnings, employment benefits, job opportunities, health care benefits, retirement savings, and leisure time. A series of questions asked whether the United States was in a long-term economic and moral decline, whether the country's main problems were caused more by a lack of economic opportunity or a lack of morality, and whether the United States was still the best country in the world. Additional topics covered immigration policy and the extent to which respondents trusted the federal, state, and local governments. Demographic variables included respondents' sex, age, race, education level, marital status, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration and participation history, labor union membership, the presence of children in the household, whether these children attended a public school, and the employment status of respondents and their spouses.
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ABC News Media Poll, January 1997 (ICPSR 2171)

Released/updated on: 2008-08-05
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted January 6-7, 1997, sought respondents' views on national and local media practices. Respondents were asked to rate the ethics and honesty of television and print news media, as well as of politicians, corporations, average Americans, and the Clinton Administration. Those polled were asked whether they approved of the way national network television and local television stations reported the news, and whether the news media cared more about the accuracy of a story or being the first to report it. Views were also sought on the media's treatment of politicians, various socioeconomic classes, religious and political groups, celebrities, the military, the police, the government, and corporations. Respondents also rated their enjoyment of news reports on celebrities and politicians, and commented on the relevance of news stories to their lives. Additional topics covered the influence of network television news on viewers, the benefits and drawbacks of investigative news reporting, the media's respect or disrespect of privacy, the power of the media to limit political corruption and unfair business practices, and how often respondents watched television evening news programs. Demographic variables included sex, race, age, education level, household income, employment status, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural).
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ABC News "Nightline" Jackie Robinson Poll, February 1997 (ICPSR 2176)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1997-02-21--1997-02-24
This special topic poll, fielded February 21-24, 1997, sought respondents' views on race relations and on Black athletes and coaches during the 50th anniversary year of Jackie Robinson's entry into major league baseball. Respondents were asked for their assessment of race relations in the United States over the past ten years, and the opportunities or lack thereof that are available to Black high school and college athletes. Those queried were also asked for their views regarding the high numbers of Black professional athletes and the small number of Black professional coaches and managers. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline" the day the poll was taken. Background information on respondents includes race and sex.
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ABC News O.J. Simpson Jury Poll, February 1997 (ICPSR 2174)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-04
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded February 4, 1997, sought respondents' views on the O.J. Simpson civil trial verdict and the treatment of minorities in the criminal justice system. Respondents were asked for their opinions on the civil trial decision, which found Simpson responsible for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Those queried were asked to consider the possible reasons for the different verdicts in the criminal and civil trials including differing legal definitions of guilt, the number of jurors required for a guilty verdict, the testimony and evidence allowed, the testimony of Simpson, and the racial demographics of the jury. Respondents' were asked for their personal opinions on the guilt or innocence of Simpson, whether they believed in the presence of a police conspiracy, and whether Simpson received a fair trial. Demographic variables include education, age, race, and sex.
Curated

ABC News Poll, July 2008 (ICPSR 27322)

Released/updated on: 2010-05-06
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted July 23-28, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,000 adults was surveyed. Information was collected on respondents' opinion of the environment and their views on various environmental issues. This included how the respondent rated the condition of the natural environment, the single biggest environmental problem the world faces, how much they trust the things that scientists say about the environment, and whether they thought the weather patterns in the last three years have been more stable both where the respondent lives and in the world in general. Respondents were also asked whether they had heard about the idea that the world's temperature may have been rising slowly over the past 100 years and if they thought this statement was true. They were asked if they believed the increase in temperature was caused by things people do or by natural causes. The issue of global warming was brought up and respondents answered questions of how important it was to them, how much they knew about global warming, how serious a problem they thought it was, whether it will pose a serious threat to them or their way of life in their lifetime, whether it will be a problem for future generations, whether or not scientists agree that global warming is happening, and whether most scientists agree with one another about the causes and threat of global warming. Respondents were asked if they thought the United States should take action on global warming only if other major industrial countries such as China and India agree to do equally effective things, the effect on the economy if the United States does more than other countries to address global warming, whether global warming can be reduced without people making major changes in lifestyle, and whether the government or businesses would be better for reducing global warming. Information was also collected on whether respondents used products made from recycled materials, whether recycled products were easier to find now than five years ago, and whether these products were actually better for the environment. Respondents were also asked if they would be more or less likely to vote for a candidate for president if they are a strong environmentalist, Barack Obama and John McCain's positions on global warming, and which candidate would do more to reduce global warming in the future. Questions were asked on whether the recent price increases in gasoline have caused any financial hardship for the respondent, how closely they were following the news about the environment, their main source of information about environmental issues, and if they considered themselves an environmentalist. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, education level, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), whether any children under the age of 18 are living in the household, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News Sarah Palin Poll, September 2008 (ICPSR 27323)

Released/updated on: 2010-07-19
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on Sarah Palin. Respondents where asked for their impressions of Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. They were also asked if they approved or disapproved of John McCain's choice of Palin as his running mate, if McCain's selection of Palin as his running mate made the respondent more or less likely to vote for him, and if having Palin as his running mate made the respondent more or less confident in the choices McCain would make as president. Respondents were queried on whether they thought both Palin and Biden have the kind of experience it takes to serve effectively as president if necessary. Opinions were sought on how recent events in Palin's life and her stance on issues affected the respondent's opinion of her such as giving birth to her fifth child after learning he had Down Syndrome, her 17-year-old daughter keeping her baby and marrying the father, obtaining 27 million dollars in federal funding for projects as mayor in her town of about 7,000 people, opposing legal abortion unless the mother's life is in direct danger, and opposing stricter controls on handgun ownership. Those queried were also asked if, given what they heard about her family situation, they thought Palin made the right choice in agreeing to run for vice president and whether news coverage of Palin has been fair or unfair. Their opinion was also sought on whether they thought Barack Obama's selection of Biden for vice president made them more or less likely to vote for him. Demographic information includes age, race, sex, party affiliation, voter registration status, political ideology, religious affiliation, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Stanford University/Time Magazine Environment Poll #1, March 2006 (ICPSR 4658)

Released/updated on: 2007-06-29
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted March 9-14, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was on environmental issues. Respondents rated the condition of the natural environment, and identified the most important environmental problem facing the world. Those polled were asked whether they approved of how President George W. Bush, the United States Congress, and American businesses were handling issues involving the natural environment, how much President Bush's policies, American businesses, and the American public did to help or harm the environment in the past year, and how much respondents wanted them to help the natural environment in the next year. Several questions asked how important the issue of global warming was to respondents, how much they knew about it, how serious a problem it was, and how much could be done to prevent future global warming and reduce its effects. Additional topics addressed changing local and worldwide weather patterns, scientists' assessments of the environment and global warming, whether the federal government should require companies and individuals to take measures to reduce global warming, and what type of vehicle respondents drove. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, religious preference, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), whether respondents had any children or grandchildren, and whether they considered themselves born-again or evangelical Christians.
Curated

ABC News/The Washington Post Gun Poll, April 2007 (ICPSR 24587)

Released/updated on: 2010-08-05
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded April 22, 2007, is a part of continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on various political and social issues. This poll focused on respondents' views on gun control and laws. Respondents were asked whether they favored stricter gun laws, whether they would support laws requiring a nationwide ban on semiautomatic handguns, a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, a nationwide ban on people carrying a concealed weapon, and a law requiring a nationwide ban on the sale of handguns, except to law enforcement officers. Respondents were also asked whether they thought stricter gun control laws would reduce the amount of violent crime, whether the best way of reducing gun violence was either by passing stricter gun control laws or by stricter enforcement of existing laws, if the respondent or anyone in their home owned a gun, and whether they thought states should or should not be required to report mentally ill people to a federal database in order to prevent them from buying guns. Views were sought concerning the Virginia Tech shooting and university policies. Specifically, respondents were asked whether they thought school officials did or did not do enough to investigate concerns that the student who committed these shootings was mentally unstable, whether news organizations did the right thing or the wrong thing by airing photos and videos of the Virginia Tech gunman, whether they supported a law requiring universities to provide stricter screening and counseling for students who are suspected of being mentally unstable and possibly dangerous to themselves or others, and whether they supported changing confidentiality laws so that when a college student is suspected of being mentally disturbed, the school would be required to notify their parents. Views were also sought on the primary cause of gun violence in America and whether shootings like the one at Virginia Tech could happen in the respondent's community. Respondents were queried on whether they supported legislation giving Washington, D.C., a full voting member in the United States House of Representatives and whether they approved of the proposed law that would give Democratic D.C. a full voting member in the House, while also giving the Republican state of Utah another congressional seat. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education, political party affiliation, and political philosophy.
Curated

ABC News/USA Today/KFF Poll, September 2006 (ICPSR 4666)

Released/updated on: 2007-10-30
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted September 7-12, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on various political and social issues. Respondents were asked which issues would be most important in their vote for Congress later that year, which party they trusted more to handle health care issues, how satisfactory the quality and total cost of health care was, and whether or not the number of Americans without insurance was a critical problem. Information was collected on the status of the respondents' own health insurance, including whether they were insured or not, what type of insurance they had, and how long they had been uninsured. Views were sought on whether health care premiums had been rising, why they were rising, how it had affected their household, and how job loss would affect the status and cost of health insurance. A series of questions asked whether new treatments should always be covered, whether efforts should go toward reducing health care costs or reducing the number of Americans without insurance, and whether there should be a universal health insurance program. The respondents rated the effectiveness of the current health insurance system, and they were asked under what conditions a universal health insurance program would be supported. They were also asked their opinions on whether or not employers should be obligated to provide coverage, and whether tax breaks should be offered to companies. Additional topics addressed terminally ill patients and the expense of keeping them alive. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, employment status, and marital status.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Bush Iraq Speech Poll, January 2007 (ICPSR 24582)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-10
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded January 10, 2007, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on various political and social issues. The focus of this poll was the Iraq war and whether respondents watched President Bush's speech on Iraq on the night of January 10, 2007. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President Bush was handling the situation in Iraq, whether the war with Iraq was worth fighting, and whether President Bush or Congress would do a better job handling the situation in Iraq. Opinions were solicited on Bush's proposal to send additional military forces to Iraq, whether increasing the number of military forces would make a difference in the length of the war, the ability of the Iraqi government to meet its' political and economic commitments, whether the United States is winning the war in Iraq, and whether the United States' involvement in Iraq is similar to the Vietnam war. Demographic information includes sex, age, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), and political party affiliation.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Catholic Church in Crisis Poll, March 2002 (ICPSR 3432)

Released/updated on: 2002-06-27
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll was designed to ascertain the feelings and opinions respondents surveyed about the recent scandals within the Catholic Church concerning the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests. Those surveyed were asked to describe their views toward the Catholic Church, specifically whether they endorsed the Roman Catholic Church policies that priests cannot get married and that women cannot become priests, whether they agreed with the way the Catholic Church has dealt with the issue of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, whether such abuse is common, whether the Catholic Church was taking the proper actions to deal with the issue, whether this issue had hurt the overall reputation of the Catholic Church in their eyes, and if so, by how much. Respondents were asked if they believed Catholic priests were more likely than other men to sexually abuse children, and if the following policies and practices were part of the problem: not allowing priests to marry, not allowing women to be priests, transferring priests accused of sexual abuse to another parish, not calling the police when a priest was accused of sexual abuse, being reluctant to dismiss priests because of a shortage of priests, or the lack of Vatican oversight of the Catholic Church in the United States. Persons queried were asked whether they approved of transferring a priest who had been accused of sexually abusing a child to another parish without telling parishioners about the accusation, whether the Church should inform parishioners and/or the police about such charges, and whether the Church should be required to do this by law. Respondents were then questioned about their overall opinions on how the Church had handled the issue, as well as their knowledge of instances in which a Catholic priest had been accused of sexually abusing children in their community, or instances in which friends or relatives had been abused by a Catholic priest. Persons of the Catholic faith were asked how satisfied they were with the leadership provided by their parish priest or priests, their bishop, and the Pope, whether the church effectively involved lay people in deciding church policies, and whether they approved of the way their parish priest or priests, their bishop, and the national leaders of the Catholic Church had handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests. Catholic respondents were also asked whether their diocese should publicly report the amount of money paid to settle lawsuits against priests accused of sexually abusing children, if their diocese should publicly release the names of priests who had been accused of sexually abusing children, whether the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests had caused them to alter the amount of money they gave to the Church in donations, if this issue had caused them to reexamine their personal faith, if they were aware of any priests in their own parish that have been accused of sexually abusing children, whether there was a chance that they would leave the Roman Catholic Church, how likely they were to leave, and if their leaving was motivated in some way by the issue of sexual abuse by priests. Non-Catholic persons were asked if they were aware of any clergy within their religious congregation that had been accused of sexually abusing children. Additionally, all persons queried were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling his job. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, religion, frequency of attendance at religious services, race, and Hispanic origin.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Drug Poll, February 1997 (ICPSR 2175)

Released/updated on: 2008-04-04
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted February 20-24, 1997, solicited responses from parents and their teenage children, aged 12-17, on the topic of illegal drug use among America's youth. One parent and one child from each household were asked a series of questions covering illegal drugs, violence in school, underage drinking, academic challenges, and parent-child communication. Respondents were asked to assess their understanding of the presence of drugs and drug users in their local schools, throughout the community, across the nation, among the teen's peer group, and within their own family. A series of topics covered the availability and effectiveness of school-sponsored anti-drug programs. Parents were asked how their possible past and present use and/or experimentation with marijuana and other illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products influenced the manner in which they approached drug use with their own children. Teenage respondents were asked for their reaction to the use of drugs and alcohol by their friends, the seriousness of the contemporary drug problem, and whether they believed that their parents had used or experimented with illegal drugs. Other questions asked about teenage respondents' plans after high school and whether they attended a public or private school. Demographic variables for parental respondents included age, race, sex, education level, household income, political party affiliation, and type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural). Demographic variables for teenage respondents included age, race, sex, residential area, and grade level in school.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Hurricane Follow-Up Poll, September 2005 (ICPSR 4520)

Released/updated on: 2006-09-19
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted September 9-11, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this poll was to ascertain the feelings and opinions of respondents surveyed about Hurricane Katrina and the federal government's response to the events leading up to and after the hurricane. This poll, surveying a different sample of respondents, is a follow-up to a post-hurricane Katrina poll (ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST HURRICANE KATRINA POLL, SEPTEMBER 2005 [ICPSR 4519]) conducted earlier in the same month. Respondents were queried on the federal government's overall emergency preparedness plan, as well as the government's preparedness and response efforts during Hurricane Katrina in regard to delivering food, water, and medical help, recovering and identifying those who lost their lives, dealing with the oil supply and rising gasoline prices, evacuating and resettling people who had lost their homes, and clearing and repairing the hurricane and flood damage. A series of additional questions dealt with how the government should pay for the hurricane relief effort, whether the government's lack of preparedness in New Orleans was racially or socio-economically driven, and the call by Congress for a full-scale congressional investigation of the government's Hurricane Katrina preparedness and response efforts. Respondents were also asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling the presidency, the economy, the situation in Iraq, and the United States campaign on terrorism. Demographic variables include race, gender, age, level of education, employment status, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and religious affiliation.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Inaugural Poll, January 1997 (ICPSR 2173)

Released/updated on: 2008-01-14
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted January 13-15, 1997, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This data collection was undertaken to assess public opinion prior to President Bill Clinton's second-term inauguration as president of the United States. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Clinton and his handling of the first term of his presidency, whether he would do a better or worse job in his second term in office, whether they approved of his choices for Cabinet and other top positions in his administration, and what the nature of his relationship with Congress should be in his second term. Views were sought on whether President Clinton had made progress toward reducing unemployment and improving education during his first term, and whether he would make substantial progress in these areas during his second term. Respondents rated the most important issue facing the country, whether they were better or worse off financially compared to four years ago, whether they approved of the way Congress was handling its job, whether they expected Congress to do a better job in the next two years, and whether they trusted the Clinton administration or the Republicans in Congress to handle the main problems the nation would face over the next few years. Other questions asked whether respondents approved of the way Hillary Clinton was handling her job as first lady and the amount of influence she held over her husband, and whether she should play a greater role in her husband's second administration. A series of questions asked about recent allegations involving President Clinton, including Whitewater, the Democratic National Campaign Committee's acceptance of foreign contributions, and former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones's sexual harassment charges, and whether they would interfere with his ability to serve as president. Additional topics addressed what actions the government should take to protect the long-term financial stability of Social Security and the Medicare health system and the overall level of ethics and honesty in politics and the federal government. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and voter participation history.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Labor Day Poll, September 2007 (ICPSR 24590)

Released/updated on: 2009-06-04
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded September 4-7, 2007, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling his job as president, whether they approved of the way he was handling the situation in Iraq, and whether they approved of his handling of the United States campaign against terrorism. Respondent's opinions were solicited on whether they trusted the Democrats or the Republicans to do a better job in handling the war in Iraq and the campaign against terrorism. Respondents were asked for their opinions on multiple issues associated with the war in Iraq such as whether the war was worth fighting, whether respondents thought the United States would win or lose the war, how confident respondents were in the Iraqi government to fulfill their commitment to restore civil order in Iraq, whether the war had contributed to the security of the United States, and whether the United States had made progress toward restoring civil order in Iraq. Questions about the United States military force focused on whether respondents thought the increase in United States forces improved the situation in Iraq and Iraq's security situation within a few months, whether military forces should be further increased or decreased in Iraq, and whether withdrawing from Iraq would do more to increase the risk of a terrorist attack occurring in the United States. Additional questions addressed whether respondents were satisfied with the choice of candidates for the 2008 presidential election and for whom they were going to vote, General David Petraeus' progress report on the war in Iraq, respondent's confidence in the ability of the government to prevent further terrorist attacks against Americans, whether the war on terrorism could be a success without the United States winning the war, and whether the country was safer at the time of this poll versus September 11, 2001. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, household income, military service, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, and voter registration status.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Libby Indictment Two-Nighter Poll, October 2005 (ICPSR 4523)

Released/updated on: 2006-09-28
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted October 28-29, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this poll was to ascertain the feelings and opinions of respondents surveyed about the federal grand jury's indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney. Libby was indicted on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury in connection with the case in which the identity of an undercover Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent was disclosed to news reporters. Respondents were asked if the charges against Libby represented a serious crime, or just a minor/technical one, and whether the prosecution's case was based on facts or political motivations. Given what respondents had read and heard concerning the involvement of President George W. Bush, Karl Rove (advisor to the president) and Vice President Cheney, they were queried on whether any of these men did anything wrong in connection with the case and whether their actions were considered illegal or unethical, but not illegal. Respondents were also asked if they approved of the way in which President Bush was handling his presidency and of the general ethical issues in government. Demographic variables include political party affiliation, age, gender, and the percentage of respondents that were Black, Hispanic, and Asian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll #1, January 2006 (ICPSR 4654)

Released/updated on: 2008-03-13
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted January 5-8, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, ethics in government, and the United States campaign against terrorism. Views were sought on whether the war in Iraq was worth fighting, and whether the federal government was doing enough to protect the rights of American citizens and people suspected of involvement in terrorism. A series of questions addressed the level of honesty of members of the United States Congress, the level of corruption in federal, state, and local government, corruption charges against prominent lobbyist Jack Abrahmoff, and whether it should be legal for registered lobbyists to make campaign contributions to congressional members or candidates, give them gifts, or organize fund raisers on their behalf. Additional questions asked about upcoming Senate confirmation hearings for federal Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito and whether Alito would vote to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious preference, and whether respondents considered themselves to be born-again Christians.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, April 2005 (ICPSR 4326)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-11
Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, conducted April 21-24, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were queried on such topics as Social Security benefits, parenthood, young people joining the military, capital punishment, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and whether abortion should be legal in all cases. Respondents were asked how President George W. Bush was handling his presidency, the economy, the situation in Iraq, and the United States campaign against terrorism. A series of questions also focused on Tom Delay, the majority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the ethics charges made against him, and whether he should step down as majority leader.

A random national sample of 1,082 adults were given this poll, including an oversample of 284 Catholic respondents, who were asked an additional group of questions about Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church. Questions asked included their feelings about the selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope, whether they approved or disapproved of the selection, if they thought he should maintain the traditional policies of the Church, and what should be his highest priority (e.g., responding to the concerns of women in the Church, encouraging human rights, or addressing the issue of sexual abuse by priests). Other questions included whether the Roman Catholic Church was in touch with the views of Catholics in America, whether the respondent would want their son to become a priest, and whether they would support the Catholic Church denying communion to Catholic politicians who are in favor of legal abortion.

Demographic variables include race, gender, age, level of education, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and religious affiliation.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, April 2009 (ICPSR 27764)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded April 21-24, 2009, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Barack Obama and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, and the economy as well as opinions on Vice President Joe Biden. Respondents were asked whether the Obama administration, the Republicans or the Democrats in Congress could be trusted to do a better job coping with the economic problems the nation faced, whether things in the country were going in the right direction, and the capacity of President Obama to understand the problems and needs of the American citizen. Respondents were also asked their opinions of the effectiveness of the economic stimulus and federal controls to prevent waste and fraud in the economic recovery, as well as the appropriateness for United States automakers to declare bankruptcy and their role in the national economy. Non-economic questions concerned the role of the United States in Afghanistan, confidence in the Obama administration in the handling of Afghanistan and the campaign against terrorism, whether the United States should establish diplomatic/trade relations with Cuba, whether the Obama administration should investigate the legality of the use of torture during the previous Bush (George, W.) administration, concerns over greenhouse gases, gun control and its relationship to the level of violent crime in the United States and the legality of same-sex marriage. Additional questions asked respondents for their opinions on the effectiveness of immigration control and proposed amnesty plans for illegal immigrants, and legalizing possession of marijuana for personal use. Personal financial and economic topics addressed how concerned respondents were that they could maintain their current standard of living. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, political philosophy, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), education level, religious preference, employment status, household income, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, February 2009 (ICPSR 27762)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-30
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded February 19-22, 2009, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Opinions were sought on how well Barack Obama was handling the presidency, the economy, and appointments to his cabinet, and whether things in the country were generally going in the right direction. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Republicans and Democrats in Congress were doing their jobs, whether they trusted the Democrats in Congress, the Republicans in Congress or President Obama to do a better job in handling the economy and coping with the main problems the nation faced. Several questions addressed the stimulus plan asking respondents whether they supported the plan, whether the plan would help the local economy in their area or their personal financial situation, whether it would be enough to improve the economy, and whether the stimulus package went far enough in terms of tax cuts and aides to states and individuals. Information was collected on whether respondents were confident that the federal government would implement adequate controls to avoid fraud with the use of federal money used for the nation's economic recovery, how concerned they were about the size of the federal deficit, whether stricter regulations should be placed on the way financial institutions conduct business, whether the government should provide refinancing assistance to homeowners, and whether additional government loans should be given to United States automakers. Respondents were asked questions about the effect the economy had in their lives. They were asked how financially secure they felt, whether the recession hurt them financially, how optimistic they felt about the state of the economy and their family's financial situation, whether they had cut back on their spending, and whether the economic situation was a cause of stress in their lives. Respondents were also asked how long they thought the recession would last, how confident they were they would retire with enough income to sustain them for the rest of their lives, how concerned they were about having enough money to pay their rent or mortgage, and whether they or anyone they knew had experienced or was concerned about job loss or pay cuts. Other topics focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Washington DC's delegate in Congress being a nonvoting member of the United States House of Representatives. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, marital status, political party affiliation, political philosophy, household income, religious preference, home ownership, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, February 2010 (ICPSR 30202)

Released/updated on: 2011-05-02
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded February 4-8, 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,004 adults was surveyed. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency, the economy, health care, and the federal budget deficit, and whether they had a favorable opinion of Barack Obama. Respondents were queried on whether they approved of the way the United States Congress was doing its job, which party they trusted more to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years, and how often they thought republicans in the Senate should use their power to block legislation proposed by President Obama and the Senate democrats. Respondents were asked whether they thought Obama was doing too much or too little to compromise with the republican leaders in Congress on important issues, whether they thought republican leaders were doing too much or too little to compromise with Obama on important issues, whether they thought the recession was over, or not over, and whether they thought the economy has or has not begun to recover. Information was collected on whether respondents support or oppose stricter federal regulations on the way banks and other financial institutions conduct their business, whether they support or oppose the proposed changes to the health care system, whether they think lawmakers in Washington should keep trying to pass a comprehensive health care reform plan, or should give up on it, and whether they have some form of health insurance or health care coverage. Respondents were asked if they had a favorable impression of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Sarah Palin, and the Tea Party, and whether or not they thought Palin was qualified to serve as president. Respondents were queried on whether they thought homosexuals who do not publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military, whether they thought homosexuals who do publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military, and whether they thought it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married. Respondents were asked whether they would rather have suspects accused of involvement in the September 11 terrorist attacks be put on trial in the federal court system in the United States, or in a military tribunal, and whether they support or oppose the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that says corporations and unions can spend as much money as they want to help political candidates win elections. Finally respondents were asked whether they were inclined to vote to re-elect their representative in Congress in the next election, or whether they were inclined to look around for someone else to vote for, which party they would vote for in the upcoming United States House of Representatives elections, and whether their mood was anti-incumbent or pro-incumbent for the upcoming elections. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, political ideology, religious preference, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, January 2010 (ICPSR 30201)

Released/updated on: 2011-04-13
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded January 12-15, 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,083 adults was surveyed, including an oversample of African Americans. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency, the economy, health care, and the federal budget deficit, and whether they had a favorable opinion of President Obama. Respondents were queried on whether they thought the country was headed in the right direction, and whether they were confident that the Democratic Party and the Republican Party would make the right decisions for the country's future. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way that Nancy Pelosi was handling her job as Speaker of the House, whether they approved of the way Harry Reid was handling his job as Majority Leader of the Senate, and what was the one most important problem they would like to see President Obama and the Congress deal with this year. Information was collected on whether respondents thought Obama had accomplished a lot during his presidency, whether he was keeping most of his major campaign promises, and who they thought was to blame for the country's economic situation. Respondents were queried on how they thought the United States campaign against terrorism was going, whether the federal government should investigate possible terrorist threats, even if that intrudes on personal privacy, and whether police and other authorities should or should not be permitted to use personal characteristics like religion, or ethnicity, or nationality in deciding who to search in security lines at airports or other locations. Respondents were asked whether they approved or disapproved of President Obama's decision to close the United States military prison in Guantanamo Bay, whether they support or oppose the proposed changes to the health care system, whether they preferred the public option, and whether they have health insurance. Respondents were queried on whether they thought the federal government should try to limit the size of the bonuses banks can pay to their top employees, whether they would support or oppose a special tax on bonuses over one million dollars, and whether they would support or oppose higher taxes targeted at banks that do a lot of trading in the stock market. Finally, respondents were asked whether Obama's presidency has helped or hurt race relations in the United States, whether they favor smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services, whether they favor or oppose legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal and medical use, and whether they voted in the last presidential election. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, political ideology, religious preference, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, July 2008 (ICPSR 27321)

Released/updated on: 2010-11-09
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded July 10-13, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,119 adults was surveyed, including an oversample of African Americans. Information was collected on how closely respondents were following the 2008 presidential race and the chances that they will vote in upcoming presidential election in November. Respondents were also queried on which candidate they would vote for if the 2008 presidential election were being held that day and who they would like to see win the Democratic nomination. Views were sought on how well George W. Bush was handling the presidency and if he has improved America's image in the rest of the world. Respondents were asked if they approved of the way the United States Congress is doing it's job and to rate how important certain issues are in their choice for president. Respondents were also queried on whether they thought the war in Iraq and Afghanistan were worth fighting, whether significant progress was made toward restoring civil order and whether they thought the United States must win the war in Iraq and Afghanistan for the war on terrorism to be a success. Several questions asked respondents to compare Barack Obama and John McCain, and which candidate they trusted to handle issues such as the war in Iraq, immigration, international affairs, the economy, and social issues, such as abortion and gay civil unions. Respondents were asked how financially secure they felt and if financial situations were a major cause of stress in their life. Information was also collected on respondents views of homosexuals serving in the military. Demographic variables include sex, age, marital status, race, income, voter registration status, political ideology, political party affiliation, political philosophy, military status, education level, religious preference, labor union membership, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, July 2010 (ICPSR 32543)

Released/updated on: 2012-01-24
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded July 7 - 11, 2010, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This poll surveyed an oversample of approximately 241 Gulf Coast residents. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, the economy, the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, health care, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the president's duties as commander-in-chief. Respondents were also asked their opinions about the national economy, how much confidence they had in the Republicans and Democrats in Congress to make the right decisions for the country's future, and who they trusted to do a better job, the Democrats or the Republicans, in handling the economy. Multiple questions addressed the oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. Respondents were asked about their personal feelings about the oil spill, their rating of the federal government, their local and state government, and the oil company, BP's, overall response to the oil spill, whether the federal government should pursue criminal charges against BP, whether the oil spill was a major environmental disaster, whether the spill affected the economy in their area and their personal finances, and whether respondents were concerned with the long term impacts of the oil spill on the economy, tourism, the environment, and on the safety of seafood that was consumed in the area. Additional questions asked respondents about their congressional voting preferences, their opinions regarding the federal government, an unemployment benefits extension, the war in Iraq, and the war in Afghanistan. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, military service, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born again Christians.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, June 2009 (ICPSR 27765)

Released/updated on: 2010-11-09
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded June 18-21, 2009, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,001 adults was surveyed. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and the economy. Respondents were queried on whether or not they thought the country was headed in the right direction, whether they had a favorable impression of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, and whether they approved of the way Nancy Pelosi was handling her job as Speaker of the House. Information was collected on respondents opinions of having a smaller government with fewer services or having a larger government with more services. Respondents were asked whether they thought the United States Senate should or should not confirm judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court as well as a number of other questions dealing with her. Information was collected on whether respondents had health insurance or health care coverage, how satisfied they were with the overall health care system in the country as well as their own health care, and how concerned they were about their family's health care costs in the future. Respondents were asked a number of questions about health care reform, whether they were concerned about reform, whether they thought the government should require everyone to have health insurance, and whether the government should create a new health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans. Information was collected on respondents opinions of the economic stimulus plan, whether they thought the plan has helped or hurt the national economy, and whether they were concerned with the size of the federal budget deficit. Respondents were asked whether they thought Obama's policies were making the United States safer from terrorism and whether they approved or disapproved of closing the United States military prison in Guantanamo Bay. Finally respondents were queried on whether or not the federal government should regulate the release of greenhouse gases to reduce global warming, whether they supported cap and trade, and whether abortion should be legal or illegal. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious preference, whether respondent is a born-again Christian, employment, and union membership.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, March 2009 (ICPSR 27763)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded March 26-29, 2009, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Barack Obama and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, and the economy. Respondents were asked whether the Obama administration or the Republicans in Congress could be trusted to do a better job coping with the economic problems the nation faces and whether things in the country were going in the right direction. Respondents were also asked their opinions of First Lady Michelle Obama as well their opinions on the roles of banks, the Bush administration, large businesses and consumer debt, and the state of the national economy. Non-economic questions focused on the role of the United States in Afghanistan, confidence in the Obama administration in the handling of Afghanistan and the Taliban, efforts made in building relationships between the United States and Muslim-majority nations, and the general world image of the United States. Personal financial and economic topics addressed how concerned respondents were that they could maintain their current standard of living and in what areas they are experiencing spending cutbacks. Additional topics addressed familiarity and understanding of the Islamic religion and Muslims, and whether respondents had shopped at a Walmart store in the past 12 months. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, political political philosophy, party affiliation, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), education level, religious preference, employment status, household income and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, May 2008 (ICPSR 24607)

Released/updated on: 2009-09-10
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded May 8-11, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,122 adults was surveyed, including an oversample of African Americans, for a total of 206 African American respondents. Views were sought on how well George W. Bush was handling the presidency, whether the country was moving in the right direction, and whether the Democratic or Republican party could be trusted to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation would face over the next few years. Respondents were asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential race, their opinions of presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain, for whom they would vote in the general election in November, which candidate had the best chance of getting elected, and how comfortable respondents would be with a president who was African American, a president who was a woman, and a president over the age of 72. Other questions asked whether Hillary Clinton should drop out of the Democratic primary, whether Democrats would be able to unite if Obama were nominated, and who Obama and McCain should choose as vice presidential running mates if nominated by their parties. Additional topics addressed the controversy over comments made by Barack Obama's minister, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, how concerned respondents were that they could maintain their current standard of living, the most difficult economic issue affecting their family, particularly recent increases in the price of gasoline, and whether they supported a summer suspension of the federal gasoline tax. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, marital status, political party affiliation, voter registration status, political philosophy, education level, religious preference, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, November 2009 (ICPSR 29043)

Released/updated on: 2010-10-21
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded November 12-15, 2009, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,001 adults was surveyed. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and the economy, and whether they had a favorable opinion of Barack and Michelle Obama. Respondents were queried on whether they thought the country was headed in the right direction, whether they had a favorable impression of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, and which party they trusted more to do a better job coping with the problems the nation faces over the next few years. Respondents were asked whether they thought President Obama's views on most issues were too liberal or too conservative, whether they thought the leaders of the Republican Party were mainly presenting alternatives to President Obama's proposals or mainly criticizing his proposals without presenting alternatives. Information was collected on whether respondents thought Obama's policies are making the United States safer from terrorism. Respondents were asked a number of questions about the changes to the health care system in the country, whether they had some form of health insurance or health care coverage, and whether they thought the quality of health care would get better, worse, or remain the same. Respondents were queried on whether they would support or oppose having the government create a new health insurance plan to compete with private health insurance plans, whether they would support or oppose a federal law requiring all companies with a payroll of at least $500,000 either to offer health insurance or pay money into a government fund that would provide assistance buying insurance for people who could not get insurance through work, and whether they would be more likely or less likely to support a candidate for Congress if the candidate supported the proposed changes in health care. Respondents were also asked whether they thought someone who bought private health insurance with government assistance should be allowed to use the coverage for abortions, whether they thought insurance companies that use private funds should cover abortions, and whether they had a good basic understanding of the changes being proposed to the health care system or thought the changes were too complicated. Information was collected on respondents opinions of the economic stimulus plan, whether they thought the plan has helped or hurt the national economy, and whether they felt the economy had begun to recover. Respondents were queried on whether anyone living in their household had been laid off or lost their job in the last year, whether the job loss happened to them, and whether they had found a new job. Respondents were asked a number of questions about the war in Afghanistan, whether they thought the war was worth fighting, how confident they were that Obama would come up with a strategy that would succeed, and whether they thought Obama was giving United States military leaders too much or too little influence. Respondents were queried on whether they thought global warming was happening, how serious a problem global warming was, whether they supported cap and trade, whether they had planned to get the swine flu vaccine for themselves or their children, and whether they were confident that the flu vaccine is safe. Finally, respondents were asked if they were inclined to re-elect their representative in Congress, whether they would vote for Sarah Palin if she runs for president 2012, whether they thought she was qualified to serve as president, and whether terror suspects involved in the September 11 attack should be put on trial in federal courts or in a military tribunal set up for that purpose. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious preference, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, October 2006 (ICPSR 22162)

Released/updated on: 2008-12-09
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted October 5-8, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions regarding President George W. Bush's and the United States Congress' handling of the United States campaign against terrorism, of the economy, and of the war in Iraq. Respondents gave their opinions on the upcoming congressional elections, the issues that were the most important to them, and the performance of Democrats and Republicans in Congress, particularly on issues such as the economy, immigration, and health care. Respondents were further asked for their opinions on ethics in Congress, including the Mark Foley scandal. Additional questions addressed the war in Iraq, gas prices, and gun control. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status and participation history, religious preference, whether respondents considered themselves to be born-again Christians, and military service and union membership in the household.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, October 2008 (ICPSR 27326)

Released/updated on: 2010-03-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded October 8-11, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,101 adults was surveyed, including oversamples of African Americans and 18- to 29-year-olds, for a total of 150 African American respondents and 201 respondents aged 18 to 29 years. Respondents were asked whether the Democratic or Republican party could be trusted to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation would face over the next few years. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling his job as president, whether things in the country were going in the right direction, and how concerned they were about the national economy. Views were sought on whether the Democratic or Republican party could be trusted to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation would face over the next few years. Respondents were also asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential race, their opinions of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, for whom they would vote in the general election in November, which candidate had the best chance of getting elected, and how comfortable respondents would be with a president who was African American and a president over the age of 72. Economic topics addressed how concerned respondents were that they could maintain their current standard of living, the most difficult economic issue affecting their family, particularly personal finances, the stock market, and the ability to obtain bank loans. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, marital status, political party affiliation, voter registration status and participation history, political philosophy, education level, religious preference, military service, household income, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, October 2010 (ICPSR 32546)

Released/updated on: 2012-03-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded October 25-28, 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and the economy, how closely they were following the congressional election, what the chances were that they would vote in the upcoming congressional election, which party they would vote for in their congressional district, whether they normally vote in mid-term elections, whether they were inclined to vote to re-elect their representative in Congress, and whether or not they thought it would be a good thing if control of Congress switched from the Democrats to the Republicans after the November elections. Information was collected on whether respondents approved of the way the United States Congress was doing its job, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable impression of Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, which party they trusted more to do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years, which political party they trusted to do a better job handling the economy, and whether they thought that things in this country were generally going in the right direction. Respondents were queried on what they thought was a bigger risk, the Democrats putting in place too many government regulations or the Republicans not putting enough government regulations in place, whether they favored smaller government with fewer services or larger government with more services, and whether they had recently been contacted by an organization working in support of a candidate for Congress, asking for their vote. Respondents were also asked how they would describe the state of the nation's economy, whether they thought the economy was getting better or worse, whether they supported the political movement known as the Tea Party, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable impression of Sarah Palin and whether they thought Palin was qualified to serve as president. Finally, respondents were asked how important they thought it was to know who pays for campaign advertisements, who they would vote for if the candidates for president were Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and whether they favored or opposed legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, marital status, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, political ideology, religious preference, union membership, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, September 2008 (ICPSR 27328)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-08
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, fielded September 19-22, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,082 adults was surveyed, including oversamples of African Americans for a total of 163 African American respondents. Respondents were asked whether the Democratic or Republican party could be trusted to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation would face over the next few years, whether things in the country were going in the right direction, and how concerned they were about the national economy. Respondents were also asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential race, their opinions of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, their opinion of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, for whom they would vote in the general election in November, which candidate had the best chance of getting elected, and how comfortable respondents would be with a president who was African American or a president over the age of 72. Respondents identifying with the Democratic party, were asked for whom they originally voted for to be the party nominee: Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Economic topics addressed how concerned respondents were that they could maintain their current standard of living, the most difficult economic issue affecting their family, particularly personal finances, the stock market, and the ability to obtain bank loans. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, marital status, political party affiliation, voter registration status and participation history, political philosophy, education level, religious preference, military service, household income, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), home ownership and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, September 2010 (ICPSR 32545)

Released/updated on: 2011-12-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2010-09-01--2010-10-01
This poll, fielded September 30 through October 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,002 adults was surveyed. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency and the economy, whether they approved of the way the United States Congress was doing its job, which party they trusted more to do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years, and who they trusted more to do a better job handling the economy, health care, immigration issues, the war in Afghanistan, the federal budget deficit, and taxes. Respondents were queried on whether they approved of the way their own representative in Congress was handling their job, whether they have heard about Republican congressional candidates signing something called a "Pledge to America" that pledges them to keep certain campaign promises if they are elected, whether they were inclined to vote to re-elect their representative in Congress in the next election, whether they were following the November election closely, whether they were planning to vote in the Congressional election in November, which party they would vote for in the election, whether they thought that this congressional election was more important or less important as past congressional elections, and whether voting in midterm elections was something they usually do. Respondents were also asked whether they thought it would be a good thing or a bad thing if control of Congress switched from the Democrats to the Republicans after November's election, which party they thought had better ideas about the right size and role of the federal government, how they would rate the state of the nation's economy, whether they thought that the nation's economy was getting better or worse, and whether they thought the money the federal government had spent on the economic stimulus had been mostly well spent or mostly wasted. Finally respondents were asked whether they supported or opposed the changes to the health care system that have been enacted by Congress and the Obama Administration, whether they would support or oppose an effort to cancel these changes in the health care system, whether they support or oppose the Tea Party movement, and how much they thought a Tea Party candidate would change the culture in Washington if they were elected. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, political ideology, religious preference, and whether the respondent is a born-again Christian.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll #1, April 2006 (ICPSR 4659)

Released/updated on: 2007-11-19
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted April 6-9, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,229 adults was surveyed, including an oversample of 27 Black respondents and 202 respondents aged 65 and older. Part 1 contains data on non-oversample respondents and Black oversample respondents, while Part 2 contains information asked only of respondents aged 65 and older, including the aged 65 and older oversample. Respondents were queried on whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling the presidency, and issues such as the economy and the campaign against terrorism. Respondents were also asked whether they approved of the way the United States Congress and their own representatives were handling their jobs, whether they would vote for a Democratic or Republican candidate in the upcoming United States House of Representatives election, the importance of issues such as health care in their voting choice, and which party they trusted to handle the main problems the nation would face over the next few years. Views were also sought on the war in Iraq, whether United States military forces in Iraq should be withdrawn, and whether Iraq was currently in a state of civil war. A series of questions asked how much respondents knew about the new Medicare prescription drug program, whether they approved of it, and who was responsible for its creation. Respondents aged 65 and older were asked whether they took prescription drugs, whether they had signed up for the new Medicare prescription drug program, whether it saved them money, and whether the enrollment deadline should be extended. Other topics addressed the recent increase in gasoline prices, illegal immigration, government waste, a new Massachusetts law requiring all residents to have health insurance, and whether Congress should officially reprimand or impeach President Bush for authorizing wiretaps on suspected terrorists without court approval. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, household income, marital status, education level, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, religious preference, whether respondents considered themselves born-again or evangelical Christians, and whether they and their parents were born in the United States.
Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll #1, August 2006 (ICPSR 4663)

Released/updated on: 2007-11-30
Geographic coverage: United States
This poll, conducted August 3-6, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as the situation in Iraq and the economy. Those registered to vote were asked how closely they were following the upcoming congressional elections in November, whether they would vote for a Democrat or Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives if the election were held that day, and which issue was most important in their vote. All respondents were polled on which political party they trusted to handle issues such as the United States campaign against terrorism, which party was more concerned with the needs of people like themselves, whether they approved of the way the United States Congress was handling its job, and whether the Democrats were offering a clear direction that was different from that of the Republicans. Views were also sought on the war in Iraq, whether Iraq was in a state of civil war, and whether the Bush Administration and the Democrats in the United States Congress had a clear plan for handling the situation. A series of questions regarding the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon asked which group was to more to blame, whether Israel was justified in bombing Hezbollah targets in civilian areas, whether Israel should agree to an immediate, unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon, whether the conflict would make Israel more secure from attacks, and whether it would help or hurt the situation for the United States in Iraq. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, religious preference, and whether respondents considered themselves born-again or evangelical Christians.