Showing 1 – 50 of 990 results.
Curated
ABC News "20/20" Female Body Image Poll, March 1996 (ICPSR 6818)
Released/updated on: 2007-07-03
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the presidency and on the issue of female body image. Respondents were asked for their opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency, as well as their predictions for the 1996 presidential election. A series of questions addressed the physical features of women that are most important to men -- specifically, the importance given to the size and appearance of female breasts was considered. Other topics covered breast implants and surgical procedures to alter a woman's appearance. Demographic variables include age, education, sex, and political party.
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 Bergen Record New Jersey Election Poll, June 1994 (ICPSR 3844)
Released/updated on: 2005-01-19
Geographic coverage: United States, New Jersey
This special topic poll, fielded in New Jersey for the Bergen Record newspaper in June 1994, sought respondent views on the upcoming senatorial election and a range of social issues. Respondents were asked to provide approval ratings and opinions for New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman, United States Senator Bill Bradley, United States Senator Frank Lautenberg, and Republican senatorial candidate Chuck Haytaian. Those surveyed were asked whether they would vote for Lautenberg or Haytaian in the upcoming November senatorial election. Respondents were also asked to rate which qualities they looked for in a candidate, including experience in Washington, DC, whether the candidate represented change, and whether the candidate held views similar to the respondent. Opinions were solicited on the state of public schools and school vouchers, taxes, tax cuts, abortion, and assault rifles. Background information includes voter registration status, political identification, marital status, number of children, level of education completed, annual household income, religion, ethnicity, age, and sex.
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 Bosnia Attack Poll, February 1994 (ICPSR 6620)
Released/updated on: 1997-05-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll addresses the situation in the former Yugoslavia. Specifically, respondents were asked whether they approved of President Bill Clinton's handling of the situation, whether they supported United States air strikes against Bosnian Serbs with or without United States European allies, and whether they supported sending in United States ground forces to stop the fighting in Bosnia. Demographic background variables include political orientation, age, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Bosnia Poll, May 1993 (ICPSR 6185)
Released/updated on: 2006-12-01
Geographic coverage: United States
In this special topic poll, respondents were queried regarding the fighting between Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Muslims in the former Yugoslavian republic of Bosnia. Issues addressed include President Bill Clinton's handling of the situation in Bosnia, the refusal by the Bosnian Serbs to accept a United Nations peace plan, the United Nations arms embargo in the Bosnian region, potential United Nations authorization of the use of military force against the Bosnian Serbs, and a potential United Nations deadline for the Bosnian Serbs to stop fighting or face allied military action. Those surveyed were asked if they would support air strikes by the United States and its allies in Europe against Bosnian Serb artillery positions and supply lines, whether the United States' and European allies' ground forces should be used in Bosnia, whether the United States should take military action in Bosnia if the European allies did not agree to participate, and whether the United States would eventually be involved in a war in Bosnia. Additional questions concerned the news media's coverage of the situation in Bosnia. Background information on respondents includes political party and sex.
Curated
ABC News Bradley/Bush/Gore Express Poll, June 1999 (ICPSR 2776)
Released/updated on: 1999-08-20
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded June 9-13, 1999, sought respondents' views on the upcoming 2000 presidential election. Those queried were asked for whom they would vote given the choice between Democratic candidate Vice President Al Gore and Republican candidate Texas Governor George W. Bush, and how strongly they felt about their current choice. Respondents were also asked whether they believed that Gore understood the problems of people like them, was boring, or was a strong leader. An additional question concerned the Democratic primary or caucus for president in 2000. Given a choice between Gore and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, respondents were asked for their vote choice. Background information on respondents includes age, race, sex, political party, education, marital status, employment status, age of members of household, and income.
Curated
ABC News Business World Poll, February 1989 (ICPSR 9239)
Released/updated on: 2007-07-03
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1989-02-08--1989-02-09
This data collection explores respondents' opinions about the savings and loan industry. Respondents were asked whether they had any savings in federally insured savings and loan institutions, whether they had withdrawn their monies within the last few months and, if so, the reason for withdrawal, and whether they planned to withdraw monies in the future. Respondents also were asked if they had heard or read about the financial crisis in the savings and loan industry, if this crisis has affected them personally or would in the future. Respondents were queried about their level of confidence in the federal insurance system's ability to compensate if savings and loan institutions go out of business, Bush's plan to raise money for the federal savings bank insurance program, and Bush's opinion that there was no danger for persons with money in savings and loan institutions. Additionally, respondents were questioned regarding President Bush's cabinet choices, specifically his nomination of John Tower as secretary of defense. Respondents were asked if Tower's nomination should be confirmed or denied based on charges made during confirmation hearings. Background information on respondents includes sex and age.
Curated
ABC News Business World Poll, March 1989 (ICPSR 9244)
Released/updated on: 2007-09-18
Geographic coverage: United States
This data collection explores respondents' opinions about the savings and loan industry. Respondents were asked whether they had any savings in federally insured savings and loan institutions, whether they had withdrawn their monies within the last few months and, if so, the reason for withdrawal, and whether they were planning to withdraw monies in the future. Respondents also were asked if they had heard about the financial crisis in the savings and loan industry, and if the crisis had personally affected or might affect them in the future. Additionally, respondents were queried about their level of confidence in the federal insurance system's ability to compensate if savings and loan institutions go out of business, Bush's plan to raise money for the federal savings bank insurance program, and Bush's opinion that there was no danger for people with money in savings and loans institutions. Background information on respondents includes age, 1988 yearly household income, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Chernobyl/Kiev Accident Poll, April 1986 (ICPSR 8581)
Released/updated on: 2007-09-14
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey was conducted after the accident at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in the Soviet Union. Respondents were asked their opinions about nuclear power, including whether they favor or oppose more nuclear power plants in the United States, whether they would favor or oppose phasing out currently operating plants, and if they consider nuclear plants in the United States to be safer than those in the Soviet Union. They were asked if the Chernobyl accident has made them more or less fearful of nuclear power and if they are worried about harmful effects of radiation from Chernobyl.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Economy Speech Poll, February 1993 (ICPSR 6180)
Released/updated on: 2007-05-03
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll monitored public opinion on President Bill Clinton's televised speech on the economy, delivered February 15, 1993. Respondents rated their approval of Clinton's speech, and indicated whether they had a good idea of where Clinton planned to lead the nation in the next four years, whether Clinton was headed in the right direction in his plans for dealing with the economy, and whether they agreed that Americans were going to have to make some financial sacrifices for the long-term good of the nation's economy. Those surveyed were also asked if they thought most Americans were ready to make such sacrifices, and if they personally would be willing to accept a $100-a-year increase in their taxes to help reduce the federal budget deficit. Background information on respondents includes political party, household income, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Clinton/Jones Poll, April 1998 (ICPSR 2485)
Released/updated on: 2007-05-03
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' opinions of President Bill Clinton and the federal judge's decision to dismiss the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Clinton by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones. Respondents were asked whether they believed that Clinton violated Jones' civil rights, whether they believed Clinton engaged in a pattern of sexual misconduct, and whether Clinton's alleged sexual misconduct was an important issue. Additional questions focused on charges that Clinton may have lied under oath about sexual misconduct and/or encouraged others to lie under oath, and whether independent counsel Kenneth Starr should drop his investigation. Demographic variables include sex and political party.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Legacy Poll, January 2000 (ICPSR 2963)
Released/updated on: 2000-10-18
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded January 26, 2000, sought respondents' views on the legacy that President Bill Clinton would leave following his final term in office. Respondents were asked for their opinions on Clinton's handling of the presidency, their impressions of Clinton, and their views on how he would be remembered in history. Those queried were asked to rate Clinton's accomplishments, leadership, judgment, and communication skills while president. Their views were also sought on whether the next president should move the country in a new direction or continue the Clinton era, whether Clinton or the Republican Congress would do a better job coping with the nation's main problems over the next year, and whether they would be sorry or glad to see Clinton leave office. A final question asked respondents if they would vote for Clinton or Texas governor George W. Bush, were Clinton allowed to seek a third term as president. Background information on respondents includes gender and political party.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Poll #1, January 1992 (ICPSR 9885)
Released/updated on: 2007-05-03
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey focused on the candidacy of Bill Clinton in the early stages of the 1992 presidential race. Those surveyed were asked how closely they had been following the presidential election, for whom they would vote if their state held a Democratic primary or caucus for president, the candidate towards whom they were leaning at the time of the interview, whether they would vote for Bush or Clinton for president if the election were held the day of the interview, and whether they had a favorable impression of Clinton. Concerning Clinton's alleged extramarital affair with Gennifer Flowers, respondents were asked whether they could vote for a presidential candidate who had been involved in an extramarital affair, whether they had heard about the allegations that Clinton had had such an affair, whether they had seen Clinton's response to this allegation on television, and whether they approved of Clinton's response. Additionally, respondents were asked whether they agreed with Clinton's assertion that the question of whether or not he had an extramarital affair was between him and his wife, whether the allegation of an affair made respondents more or less likely to vote for Clinton, and if the question of whether or not Clinton had an extramarital affair should be an issue in the presidential election. Along the same lines, respondents were asked whether the news media should continue to look into alleged extramarital affairs involving Clinton or any other political candidate, whether Clinton should withdraw from the race if it turned out that he did have an affair with Flowers, whether his withdrawal should be based on having had the affair or having denied it, and whether Clinton or Flowers had told the truth. Background information on respondents includes political alignment and sex.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Statement #2 Poll, August 1998 (ICPSR 2633)
Released/updated on: 1999-02-25
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the presidency and the August 17, 1998, statement made by President Bill Clinton in which he admitted to having an "inappropriate" relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Respondents were asked for their opinions of President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton and their respective positions. Those queried were also asked to assess Clinton's honesty and trustworthiness, his moral and ethical standards, and his leadership ability. A series of questions addressed the investigation by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr into Clinton's behavior. Questions concerned whether respondents believed that Clinton obstructed justice, whether Clinton should resign, whether Congress should remove him from office, and whether the scandal had damaged Clinton's ability to serve effectively as president. Additional questions called for speculation regarding Starr's motivations, and when Hillary Clinton first knew of her husband's relationship with Lewinsky. Background information on respondents includes political party and sex.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Terrorism Poll, August 1998 (ICPSR 2634)
Released/updated on: 1999-02-25
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded August 19, 1998, sought respondents' views on the presidency and on the United States' decision, earlier in the day, to launch missile attacks against sites in Afghanistan and Sudan that were suspected to have been used by terrorists who attacked two United States embassies in Africa earlier in the month. Respondents were asked whether they believed that the attacks would prove an effective deterrent against future acts of terrorism, whether they trusted President Bill Clinton to handle the United States' response to terrorism, and whether the attacks were for the purpose of combating terrorism or to shift public attention away from the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Those queried were also asked whether they believed that the situation involving Lewinsky had interfered with Clinton's ability to serve effectively as president. Background information on respondents includes sex and political party.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Videotaped Testimony Poll, September 1998 (ICPSR 2644)
Released/updated on: 1999-02-25
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded on September 21, 1998, sought respondents' views on the United States Congress's release, earlier that day, of the videotape of President Bill Clinton's August testimony to a grand jury. Their opinions were sought on whether it was right for Congress to have publicly released the videotape, the manner in which Clinton handled himself before the grand jury, and the treatment of Clinton by the prosecutors. A series of items addressed the questions posed to Clinton about the details of his sexual activity with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Covered were Clinton's refusal to discuss the details of that activity, whether the prosecutors were right to ask such questions, Clinton's "anger" about the repeated questions concerning the details, and the respondents' interpretation of the phrase "sexual relations." Those queried were asked for their opinion on Clinton's interpretation of the phrase "sexual relations" to mean only sexual intercourse and not any other kind of sex. Respondents were asked to assess the influence of the videotaped testimony on the American public, and to comment on whether they believed Clinton's responses before the grand jury. In addition, their opinions were sought on whether the president should resign, remain in office, be impeached, or be censured, if it were proven that he either lied under oath, encouraged Lewinsky to lie under oath, or asked his aides or other people to cover up his affair with Lewinsky. Background information on respondents includes sex and political party.
Curated
ABC News Crime Poll, November 1993 (ICPSR 6293)
Released/updated on: 1996-11-21
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll focused on crime in the United States. Respondents were asked to estimate whether violent crime was going up or down in the United States and in their own neighborhoods. The survey also posed questions designed to estimate crime trends involving assault weapons and to determine whether respondents favored or opposed stronger legislation controlling the distribution of handguns and assault weapons in the United States. Additional questions related to legislation that would put a heavy tax on bullets. Respondents were asked whether they thought that stronger legislation controlling the distribution of handguns in the United States and the tax on bullets would reduce the amount of crime and violence, and if respondents would give up some of their freedoms if it meant a reduction in criminal activity. Demographic variables include race and sex.
Curated
ABC News Cuba Legacy Poll, April 2000 (ICPSR 3054)
Released/updated on: 2000-12-14
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded April 5, 2000, 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 data collection was on whether Elian Gonzalez, the six-year-old Cuban boy whose mother drowned when they attempted to immigrate to Florida, should be returned to his father in Cuba or allowed to remain with his mother's relatives in the United States. Respondents were asked whether this situation should be handled as a political issue or a child custody issue and whether Elian's father was expressing his own views or those of the Cuban government. Respondents' views were sought on whether the following parties were interested in doing what was best for Elian or what was best for them: the Clinton administration, the Cuban government, Elian's Miami relatives, Elian's father, the Cuban-American community in Miami, Vice President Al Gore, and Texas governor George W. Bush. Additional questions addressed whether the United States should resume diplomatic relations with Cuba, end the embargo on trade with Cuba, and end restrictions on travel to Cuba. Background information on respondents includes gender and political party affiliation.
Curated
ABC News Daily Tracking Poll, November 1992 (ICPSR 6025)
Released/updated on: 2007-09-18
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1992-10-06--1992-11-02
This survey provides pre-election information regarding the 1992 presidential race. Respondents were asked to comment on how closely they had followed the race, and to rate the chances of their voting in the election. The survey also posed questions regarding the respondent's vote intention, the strength of the respondent's support for his/her preferred candidate, and whether the respondent leaned more toward George Bush, Bill Clinton, or Ross Perot. Background information on respondents includes party preference, most recent presidential vote choice, education, age, Hispanic origin and race, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Democratic Convention Poll #2, July 1992 (ICPSR 9933)
Released/updated on: 2007-09-18
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey, conducted on Tuesday of the week of the 1992 Democratic National Convention, asked respondents for whom they would vote if the election were held that day and the candidates were Bush, Clinton, and Perot, whether they were leaning toward Bush, Clinton, or Perot, if they were satisfied that Clinton had the honesty and integrity to serve effectively as president, how much they knew about Clinton, and whether they planned to watch Clinton's speech to the Democratic National Convention Thursday night. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, voter registration status, likelihood of voting in the 1992 presidential election, age, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Democratic Convention Poll #3, July 1992 (ICPSR 9932)
Released/updated on: 2007-05-07
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey, conducted on Wednesday of the week of the 1992 Democratic National Convention, asked respondents for whom they would vote if the election were held that day and the candidates were Bush, Clinton, and Perot, whether they were leaning toward Bush, Clinton, or Perot, if they were satisfied that Clinton had the honesty and integrity to serve effectively as president, how much they knew about Clinton, and whether they planned to watch Clinton's speech to the Democratic National Convention Thursday night. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, voter registration status, likelihood of voting in the 1992 presidential election, age, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate Announcement Poll, August 2000 (ICPSR 3069)
Released/updated on: 2001-02-23
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded August 7, 2000, queried respondents following the announcement by Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore that he had chosen Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate. Respondents were asked for their impressions of Lieberman, how his selection would influence their decision to vote for Gore, whether they would vote for a Jewish candidate for vice president, and whether they had any feelings of prejudice against Jews. Those queried were asked how the following facts about Lieberman affected their views of him: he is an Orthodox Jew, as a senator he voted to keep late-term/"partial birth" abortions legal, he was the first Democrat in Congress to publicly criticize President Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and he represented the state of Connecticut as a member of the Senate for 12 years. Additional topics covered whether Lieberman's Orthodox religious practices would interfere with his duties as vice president, and whether Lieberman might try to influence United States policy toward Israel based on his religious beliefs. Background information on respondents includes gender, political party, political orientation, religion, and race.
Curated
ABC News Discovery Space Poll, July 1997 (ICPSR 2500)
Released/updated on: 2007-06-12
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the United States space exploration program, specifically the exploration of Mars. Respondents were asked about the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the government budget for the space program, benefits of the space program, the $250 million price tag of the Mars project, and the possibility of sending astronauts to Mars. They were also asked to assess their interest in national politics, science, business, sports, international events, celebrities and entertainment, and local issues, and to assess further their interest in the scientific topics of space exploration, computers, cloning, natural disasters, dinosaurs, the origin of humans, genetic engineering, weapon and military technology, the human brain, medical advances, and scientific methods for solving crimes. Those queried were asked which media sources they consulted for scientific news and whether they believed in the existence of intelligent life in outer space. The results of the poll were announced on the Discovery Channel. Background information on respondents includes age and sex.
Curated
ABC News Economy Poll, October 1987 (ICPSR 8887)
Released/updated on: 2006-12-05
Geographic coverage: United States
The nation's economy was the topic of this poll. Respondents were asked if they thought the economy was getting better or worse, whether they thought they would be better off financially one year from now, if they planned to spend more or less money than last year at Christmas, and whether stock market prices affected them personally. Additional questions related to the impact and causes of the recent fall in stock prices, the federal budget deficit, and the ways in which the Congress and Ronald Reagan were and should be working to reduce it. Demographic data on respondents are included.
Curated
ABC News Education Poll, February 1990 (ICPSR 9440)
Released/updated on: 2007-01-26
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1990-02-14--1990-02-15
This survey focuses on public education in the United States. Respondents were asked if they thought improvement of the educational system was the most important thing that the United States must do to meet strong economic challenges from the European nations and Japan, how they rated the quality of the public education and teachers, and if the problems of education were bigger than those of the federal budget deficit, drugs, hunger and malnutrition, the environment, and foreign economic competition. In addition, respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of various means to improve the quality of education, if federal, state, or local government should provide the most money for public schools, if failure to improve educational system would turn the United States into a second-rate power, and if the Bush administration was doing enough to improve the educational system. Background information on respondents includes education, age, sex, income, race, and state/region of residence.
Curated
ABC News Elian Gonzalez Poll, April 2000 (ICPSR 3055)
Released/updated on: 2000-12-14
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded April 24, 2000, 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 data collection was the removal of Elian Gonzalez, the six-year-old Cuban boy whose mother drowned when they attempted to immigrate to Florida, from the home of his Miami relatives by federal officers in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 22, 2000. Respondents were asked whether they felt the federal action to remove Elian was appropriate, whether the United States government did all it could to avoid using force in this case, and whether permanent custody of Elian should be granted to his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, or to his relatives in Miami. Those queried were asked whether they saw the photograph of a federal agent holding a gun while he was seizing Elian, whether they saw the photograph of Elian smiling after being reunited with his father later the same day, and which of these images struck respondents as more powerful. A series of questions asked respondents whether they approved or disapproved of the handling of the case by Elian's father, Elian's relatives in Miami, Attorney General Janet Reno, President Bill Clinton, Texas governor George W. Bush, Vice President Al Gore, the Cuban-American community in Miami, the Cuban government, and congressional Republicans. A final question addressed whether respondents supported or opposed holding congressional hearings on the government's action to remove Elian from his relatives' home. Background information on respondents includes gender and political party.
Curated
ABC News ESPN O.J. Simpson Interview Poll, January 1998 (ICPSR 2507)
Released/updated on: 2006-11-28
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on O.J. Simpson, especially his comments during a recent interview with Esquire magazine, in which Simpson was quoted as saying, "Let's say I committed this crime. Even if I did do this, it would have been because I loved her very much, right?" Respondents were asked whether they believed that Simpson killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, whether Simpson should be removed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and whether news shows should have him as an interview guest. The results of the poll were announced on the ESPN sports network. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, and ethnicity.
Curated
ABC News Final Pre-Election Tracking Poll, October 1984 (ICPSR 8517)
Released/updated on: 2007-03-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey was conducted prior to the 1984 presidential election involving candidates Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. Respondents were asked about their voter registration status, whether they intended to vote in the presidential election, the candidate they would vote for if the election were held that day, the candidate they were currently leaning toward voting for, and whether they would vote that way in the November election. Those surveyed were also asked about their party preferences regarding congressional elections in their districts. Background information on respondents includes political party, participation in the 1980 presidential election, education, age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex.
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 Iraq Poll, September 2002 (ICPSR 3555)
Released/updated on: 2005-12-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted September 12-14, 2002, was undertaken to assess public opinion on the potential war against Iraq. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling the situation with Iraq and Saddam Hussein, how important it was to force the Iraqi president from power, whether President Bush had a clear policy on Iraq, whether the Bush administration was overstating the level of threat from Iraq, whether it had done enough to win international support for taking military action against Iraq, whether Bush had presented enough evidence on why the United States should remove Saddam Hussein from power, and whether attacking/not attacking Iraq would create a greater risk of further terrorist attacks to the United States. Those polled also indicated their level of support for United States military action against Iraq. They were asked whether they would be for/against it if United States allies opposed such military action, if the United States used ground troops, if there was a significant number of United States military casualties, if Iraq agreed to let United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country, and if Iraq interfered or did not cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors. Background information on respondents includes gender, age, education, political party affiliation, race, and Hispanic origin.
Curated
ABC News Japan Poll, April 1996 (ICPSR 6819)
Released/updated on: 1998-06-11
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the public perception of Japan, including the people, the economy, trade practices, and Japan's international agenda. Those queried were asked to provide their overall impression of Japan, to describe current relations between the United States and Japan, and to analyze the contemporary political trends in Japan. A series of questions addressed trade between the two countries, specifically the strength of the Japanese economy and the potential reduction of Japan's trade surplus with the United States. Respondents were also asked to describe the extent of anti-Japanese sentiments in the United States. Background variables include sex and knowledge of people who harbored anti-Japanese sentiments.
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.
Curated
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).
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Crime Poll, November 1994 (ICPSR 3868)
Released/updated on: 2006-11-13
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded November 17, 1994, was undertaken to assess public opinion on the issue of crime control and prison management. Respondents were asked what they believed was the most important problem facing the country and whether they believed that the federal government could do anything to resolve the problem of crime. Those surveyed were asked if they favored longer sentences for repeat offenders and if they would support the building of more prisons even if their taxes would increase as a result. Respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with certain statements regarding progress in the crime problem and other issues. Additional questions asked respondents if they thought violent crime in the country was going up or down and if they were willing to give up freedoms to reduce crime and violence. The results of the poll were announced on the television program "Nightline." Background variables include political affiliation and sex.
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Iraq Poll, August 2002 (ICPSR 3562)
Released/updated on: 2005-12-15
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted August 29, 2002, was undertaken to assess opinions about Iraq. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling the situation with Iraq and Saddam Hussein, whether they favored United States forces taking military action against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein from power, whether they would favor military action if United States allies opposed such action, whether they thought the United States was headed for war with Iraq, how important they thought it was for the United States to force Saddam Hussein from power, whether President Bush had a clear policy on Iraq, whether Bush should get authorization from Congress before launching an attack, and who should have the final decision if the President and Congress disagreed on attacking Iraq. Respondents were also asked which would create a greater risk of further terrorism to this country: taking or not taking military action. Background information on respondents includes political party affiliation and gender.
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Smokers Poll, June 1997 (ICPSR 2494)
Released/updated on: 2009-09-25
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on smoking. Respondents were asked for their opinions on whether prevention measures had gone too far or whether the government should take further actions to limit the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products, such as regulating nicotine amounts in cigarettes, limiting smoking to one's home, and passing legislation that would make the act of purchasing cigarettes illegal. Those queried were asked how well they understood the dangers associated with tobacco use, and who they felt should bear the financial responsibility for smoking-related health problems. Respondents who identified themselves as smokers were asked to describe difficulties they experienced while trying to quit smoking, whether they had attempted to or intended to stop smoking, and how smokers had been affected by current attitudes regarding smoking. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline." Background information on respondents includes age, race, ethnicity, sex, and education.
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Smoking Poll, June 1997 (ICPSR 2496)
Released/updated on: 2006-11-10
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the role of the United States government in the regulation of cigarettes and other tobacco products. Respondents were asked whether they favored or opposed an increased role for government in reducing cigarette smoking in the United States. Those queried were also asked whether they supported the proposed blanket settlement between tobacco companies and the states that were suing them that would protect tobacco companies from all future lawsuits. In addition, respondents were asked to give their opinions on the role of the Clinton adminstration in the tobacco settlement talks, federal regulation of the use of nicotine in cigarettes, and whether it should be illegal for adults to purchase cigarettes. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline." Background information on respondents includes age and sex.
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Somalia Poll, October 1993 (ICPSR 6289)
Released/updated on: 1997-05-16
Geographic coverage: United States
For this special topic poll, respondents were asked whether they approved of President Bill Clinton's handling of the situation in Somalia and, looking back, whether they approved of former President George Bush's decision to send United States troops to Somalia. The U.S. role in Somalia was addressed in detail, with questions on whether America's vital interests were at stake in Somalia, the conditions under which the United States should withdraw from Somalia and when, whether 450 more troops and tanks should be sent to Somalia, whether the United States should continue trying to capture warlord Mohammed Aideed, and whether the United States should respond with a major military attack against Aideed's forces if American soldiers held as prisoners couldn't be freed through negotiations. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline" the day the poll was taken. Demographic background variables include political orientation and sex.
Curated
ABC News "Nightline" Starr Report Poll #4, September 1998 (ICPSR 2641)
Released/updated on: 2008-09-26
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded on 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 whether they trusted Clinton on a
personal level, and their opinions were sought regarding Clinton's
honesty, trustworthiness, moral and ethical standards, and leadership
ability. They were also asked to comment on whether the president
should remain in office, resign, be impeached, or be censured, if it
were proven that he either lied under oath, encouraged former White
House intern Monica Lewinsky to lie under oath, or asked aides to
cover up his affair with Lewinsky. 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. Other items
probed for whether respondents believed Starr or Clinton, whether they
believed that the investigation had been fair or politically
motivated, and whether the investigation was about sex or serious
lawbreaking. In addition, respondents were asked whether they believed
that Congress should hold hearings, and whether the inclusion of the
sexual details of Clinton and Lewinsky's relationship were included in
the report as evidence or to embarrass the president. The results of
the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline."
Background information on respondents includes sex, age, race, political
party affiliation, and education level.
Curated
ABC News O.J. Simpson Domestic Violence Poll, June 1994 (ICPSR 3848)
Released/updated on: 2007-09-18
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, conducted June 19-23, 1994, was undertaken to assess respondents' views on O.J. Simpson and domestic violence. Respondents were asked whether they had heard about the case involving O.J. Simpson, whether they previously admired O.J. Simpson, whether they had lost their admiration for him, and if they still admired him for his previous accomplishments. Views were sought on how serious the problem of domestic violence was in the United States, whether police, prosecutors, judges, and laws were too tough or not tough enough in combating spouse abuse, and whether respondents would support or oppose a proposed law requiring police to arrest anyone seriously suspected of spouse abuse, even if the victim did not want to press charges. Respondents were also polled on whether they or a close friend or relative had ever been physically abused by their partner, how often it occurred, whether it was still continuing, whether it was reported to the police, whether the respondent was injured, and whether the abuser was arrested. Other topics addressed respondents' interest in professional football. Background variables include sex, age, and ethnicity.
Curated
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 Oklahoma City Bombing Poll, April 1995 (ICPSR 3841)
Released/updated on: 2007-07-03
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll, fielded May 30, 1995, was undertaken to assess respondent views on the Oklahoma City bombing that took place on April 19, 1995. Questions gauged the respondent's faith in the government to catch the perpetrators of the bombing and their ability to prevent terrorist attacks against Americans. Respondents were also asked how concerned they were about the possibility of future terrorist attacks. Queries included whether the respondents were afraid that one of their friends or relatives might be the victim of a terrorist attack and whether the respondents would be willing to give up some liberties in order for the government to crack down on terrorism. Those surveyed were also asked to give their opinion on whether they believed the bombing was part of a wider conspiracy or the act of just a few terrorists. Demographic information includes party identification, ethnicity, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Pennsylvania Poll, September 2004 (ICPSR 4131)
Released/updated on: 2005-07-14
Geographic coverage: United States, Pennsylvania
This special topic poll, conducted September 9-12, 2004, is part of a continuing series of surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Residents of Pennsylvania were queried on their opinions regarding the upcoming 2004 presidential election. Questions addressed for whom respondents were going to vote in the 2004 presidential election, whether they considered themselves Democrats or Republicans, what they thought of President George W. Bush's handling of the presidency so far, and for whom they voted in the 2000 presidential election. Respondents were also asked questions comparing Bush and Senator John Kerry, including who would better handle various issues as president in areas such as economy, education, and the campaign against terrorism. Respondents compared Bush and Kerry with respect to traits such as leadership and values. Background information includes age, education, religion, urbanicity, marital status, income, and sex.
Curated
ABC News Perot Reentry Poll, October 1992 (ICPSR 6021)
Released/updated on: 2007-05-17
Geographic coverage: United States
This election survey covers Ross Perot's reentry into the 1992 presidential race. Respondents were asked if they had heard about Perot's decision to get back into the race, and if they were glad that he had returned. The survey also posed questions concerning the effect of Perot's candidacy on the country, his qualifications, the suitability of his personality and temperament for the presidency, and whether respondents liked him more as they heard more about him. Background information on respondents includes voter registration status, party preference, 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 Poll of Public Opinion on Crime, December 1982 (ICPSR 8100)
Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll 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. In this poll, respondents were questioned regarding their perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system. Questions assessed the respondents' fear of crime, perceptions of the seriousness of crime in the United States, evaluation of the judicial and penal systems, assessment of police performance, and confidence in the ability of the police to prevent crime. The poll also asked for respondents' opinions about President Ronald Reagan's policies, the state of the economy, and government spending. Demographic information was collected, including the respondent's sex, age, education level, race, and income level.
Curated
ABC News Poll of Public Opinion on Current Social and Political Issues, December 1981 (ICPSR 8020)
Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This special-topic poll 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 data colletion focuses on President Ronald Reagan, Libya, and the economy. Respondents were asked to evaluate Reagan's presidency and his handling of the nation's economy, to give their opinions of United States relations with Libya, and to assess the impact of Reagan's economic policies on their personal financial situations. Demographic information including respondent's race, age, household income, and educational level was collected.
Curated
ABC News Post-Debate #1 Poll, October 2000 (ICPSR 3129)
Released/updated on: 2004-09-02
Geographic coverage: United States
This special topic poll sought respondents' views on the presidential debate held on October 6th, 2000. Questions included how closely respondents were following the 2000 race for the presidency and how sure they were that they would vote on election day. Those polled were asked whom they would vote for, whether they had a favorable opinion of the candidates, and which candidate they felt would do a better job on issues such as education and the economy. Respondents were also asked to state which characteristics they believed that Governor Bush and Vice President Gore had, such as leadership and experience, and to indicate which candidate they believed had "won" the debate televised earlier in that week. Questions on popular social issues included whether respondents preferred small or large government, whether they supported the school vouchers initiative, whether they still would support the initiative if it meant less money for public schools, and what course of action they would take if they could receive school vouchers. Background information includes number of children respondent had under the age of 18, political identification, voting record, political philosophy, level of education, age, ethnicity, annual household income, and sex.